THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT 

From  the  Library  of 

Henry  Goldman,    Ph.D. 

1886-1972 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF 
CAPTAIN  HORN 


Reverently  the  two  answered  the  simple  questions  which 
were  put  to  them. 


THE  ADVENTURES 
OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 


BY 
FRANK  R.    STOCKTON 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW  YORK 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S   SONS 

1909 


COPYRIGHT,  1895, 1900, 1908,  BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Stack 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

i  AN  INTRODUCTORY  DISASTER       .        .      3 

ii  A  NEW  FACE  IN  CAMP        ...          9 

in  'A  CHANGE  OF  LODGINGS       .        .        .17 

iv  ANOTHER  NEW  FACE         .        .        .        27 

v  THE  RACKBIRDS 34 

vi  THREE  WILD  BEASTS         ...        42 

vii  GONE  ! 51 

vin  THE  ALARM 63 

ix  AN  AMAZING  NARRATION      .        .        .69 

x  THE  CAPTAIN  EXPLORES   ...        75 

xi  A  NEW  HEMISPHERE    .        .        .        .82 

xn  A  TRADITION  AND  A  WAISTCOAT       .        91 

xm  "MINE!" 98 

xiv  A  PILE  OF  FUEL        .        .        .        .107 
xv  THE  CLIFF-MAKA  SCHEME    .        .        .  114 
xvi  ON  A  BUSINESS  BASIS         .        .        .      125 
xvn  "  A  FINE  THING,  NO   MATTER  WHAT 

HAPPENS" 135 

xvni  MRS.  CLIFF  is  AMAZED      .        .        .      141 

xix  LEFT  BEHIND 151 

xx  AT  THE  RACKBIRDS'  COVE         .        .      158 

xxi  IN  THE  CAVES 164 

xxn  A  PACK-MULE 174 

xxin  His  PRESENT  SHARE      ....  182 
xxiv  His  FORTUNE  UNDER  HIS  FEET  190 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF 
CAPTAIN   HORN 


THE   ADVENTURES   OF 
CAPTAIN   HORN 

CHAPTER   I 

AN  INTRODUCTORY  DISASTER 

EAKLY  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1884  the  three- 
masted  schooner  Castor,  from  San  Francisco  to 
Valparaiso,  was  struck  by  a  tornado  off  the  coast  of 
Peru.  The  storm,  which  rose  with  frightful  sudden 
ness,  was  of  short  duration,  but  it  left  the  Castor  a 
helpless  wreck.  Her  masts  had  snapped  off  and  gone 
overboard,  her  rudder-post  had  been  shattered  by 
falling  wreckage,  and  she  was  rolling  in  the  trough  of 
the  sea,  with  her  floating  masts  and  spars  thumping 
and  bumping  her  sides. 

The  Castor  was  an  American  merchant-vessel,  com 
manded  by  Captain  Philip  Horn,  an  experienced 
navigator  of  about  thirty-five  years  of  age.  Besides 
a  valuable  cargo,  she  carried  three  passengers— two 
ladies  and  a  boy.  One  of  these,  Mrs.  William  Cliff,  a 
lady  past  middle  age,  was  going  to  Valparaiso  to  set 
tle  some  business  affairs  of  her  late  husband,  a  New 
England  merchant.  The  other  lady  was  Miss  Edna 
Markham,  a  school-teacher  who  had  just  passed  her 

3 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

twenty-fifth  year,  although  she  looked  older.  She 
was  on  her  way  to  Valparaiso  to  take  an  important 
position  in  an  American  seminary.  Ralph,  a  boy  of 
fifteen,  was  her  brother,  and  she  was  taking  him  with 
her  simply  because  she  did  not  want  to  leave  him 
alone  in  San  Francisco.  These  two  had  no  near  rela 
tions,  and  the  education  of  the  brother  depended  upon 
the  exertions  of  the  sister.  Valparaiso  was  not  the 
place  she  would  have  selected  for  a  boy's  education, 
but  there  they  could  be  together,  and,  under  the  cir 
cumstances,  that  was  a  point  of  prime  importance. 

But  when  the  storm  had  passed,  and  the  sky  was 
clear,  and  the  mad  waves  had  subsided  into  a  rolling 
swell,  there  seemed  no  reason  to  believe  that  any  one 
on  board  the  Castor  would  ever  reach  Valparaiso. 
The  vessel  had  been  badly  strained  by  the  wrenching 
of  the  masts,  her  sides  had  been  battered  by  the  float 
ing  wreckage,  and  she  was  taking  in  water  rapidly. 
Fortunately,  no  one  had  been  injured  by  the  storm, 
and  although  the  captain  found  it  would  be  a  useless 
waste  of  time  and  labor  to  attempt  to  work  the  pumps, 
he  was  convinced,  after  a  careful  examination,  that 
the  ship  would  float  some  hours,  and  that  there  would, 
therefore,  be  time  for  those  on  board  to  make  an 
effort  to  save  not  only  their  lives,  but  some  of  their 
property. 

All  the  boats  had  been  blown  from  their  davits,  but 
one  of  them  was  floating,  apparently  uninjured,  a 
short  distance  to  leeward,  one  of  the  heavy  blocks  by 
which  it  had  been  suspended  having  caught  in  the 
cordage  of  the  topmast,  so  that  it  was  securely  moored. 
Another  boat,  a  small  one,  was  seen,  bottom  upward, 
about  an  eighth  of  a  mile  to  leeward.  Two  seamen, 

4 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

each  pushing  an  oar  before  him,  swam  out  to  the 
nearest  boat,  and  having  got  on  board  of  her,  and 
freed  her  from  her  entanglements,  they  rowed  out 
to  the  capsized  boat,  and  towed  it  to  the  schooner. 
When  this  boat  had  been  righted  and  bailed  out,  it 
was  found  to  be  in  good  condition. 

The  sea  had  become  almost  quiet,  and  there  was 
time  enough  to  do  everything  orderly  and  properly, 
and  in  less  than  three  hours  after  the  vessel  had  been 
struck,  the  two  boats,  containing  all  the  crew  and  the 
passengers,  besides  a  goodly  quantity  of  provisions 
and  water,  and  such  valuables,  clothing,  rugs,  and 
wraps  as  room  could  be  found  for,  were  pulling  away 
from  the  wreck. 

The  captain,  who,  with  his  passengers,  was  in  the 
larger  boat,  was  aware  that  he  was  off  the  coast  of 
Peru,  but  that  was  all  he  certainly  knew  of  his  posi 
tion.  The  storm  had  struck  the  ship  in  the  morning, 
before  he  had  taken  his  daily  observation,  and  his 
room,  which  was  on  deck,  had  been  carried  away,  as 
well  as  every  nautical  instrument  on  board.  He  did 
not  believe  that  the  storm  had  taken  him  far  out  of 
his  course,  but  of  this  he  could  not  be  sure.  All  that 
he  knew  with  certainty  was  that  to  the  eastward  lay 
the  land,  and  eastward,  therefore,  they  pulled,  a  little 
compass  attached  to  the  captain's  watch-guard  being 
their  only  guide. 

For  the  rest  of  that  day  and  that  night,  and  the 
next  day  and  the  next  night,  the  two  boats  moved 
eastward,  the  people  on  board  suffering  but  little 
inconvenience,  except  from  the  labor  of  continuous 
rowing,  at  which  everybody,  excepting  the  two  ladies, 
took  part,  even  Kalph  Markham  being  willing  to 

5 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

show  how  much  of  a  man  he  could  be  with  an  oar  in 
his  hand. 

The  weather  was  fine,  and  the  sea  was  almost 
smooth,  and  as  the  captain  had  rigged  up  in  his  boat 
a  tent-like  covering  of  canvas  for  the  ladies,  they 
were,  as  they  repeatedly  declared,  far  more  comforta 
ble  than  they  had  any  right  to  expect.  They  were 
both  women  of  resource  and  courage.  Mrs.  Cliff,  tall, 
thin  in  face,  with  her  gray  hair  brushed  plainly  over 
her  temples,  was  a  woman  of  strong  frame,  who  would 
have  been  perfectly  willing  to  take  an  oar,  had  it  been 
necessary.  To  Miss  Markham  this  boat  trip  would 
have  been  a  positive  pleasure,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
unfortunate  circumstances  which  made  it  necessary. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  land  was  sighted, 
but  it  was  afternoon  before  they  reached  it.  Here 
they  found  themselves  on  a  portion  of  the  coast  where 
the  foot-hills  of  the  great  mountains  stretch  themselves 
almost  down  to  the  edge  of  the  ocean.  To  all  appear 
ances,  the  shore  was  barren  and  uninhabited. 

The  two  boats  rowed  along  the  coast  a  mile  or  two 
to  the  southward,  but  could  find  no  good  landing- 
place,  but  reaching  a  spot  less  encumbered  with  rocks 
than  any  other  portion  of  the  coast  they  had  seen, 
Captain  Horn  determined  to  try  to  beach  his  boat 
there.  The  landing  was  accomplished  in  safety, 
although  with  some  difficulty,  and  that  night  was 
passed  in  a  little  encampment  in  the  shelter  of  some 
rocks  scarcely  a  hundred  yards  from  the  sea. 

The  next  morning  Captain  Horn  took  counsel  with 
his  mates,  and  considered  the  situation.  They  were 
on  an  uninhabited  portion  of  the  coast,  and  it  was  not 
believed  that  there  was  any  town  or  settlement  near 

6 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

enough  to  be  reached  by  walking  over  such  wild 
country,  especially  with  ladies  in  the  party.  It  was, 
therefore,  determined  to  seek  succor  by  means  of  the 
sea.  They  might  be  near  one  of  the  towns  or  villages 
along  the  coast  of  Peru,  and,  in  any  case,  a  boat  manned 
by  the  best  oarsmen  of  the  party,  and  loaded  as  lightly 
as  possible,  might  hope,  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two, 
to  reach  some  port  from  which  a  vessel  might  be  sent 
out  to  take  off  the  remainder  of  the  party. 

But  first  Captain  Horn  ordered  a  thorough  investi 
gation  to  be  made  of  the  surrounding  country,  and  in 
an  hour  or  two  a  place  was  found  which  he  believed 
would  answer  very  well  for  a  camping-ground  until 
assistance  should  arrive.  This  was  on  a  little  plateau 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  back  from  the  ocean,  and 
surrounded  on  three  sides  by  precipices,  and  on  the 
side  toward  the  sea  the  ground  sloped  gradually 
downward.  To  this  camping-ground  all  of  the  provi 
sions  and  goods  were  carried,  excepting  what  would 
be  needed  by  the  boating  party. 

When  this  work  had  been  accomplished,  Captain 
Horn  appointed  his  first  mate  to  command  the  expe 
dition,  deciding  to  remain  himself  in  the  camp. 
When  volunteers  were  called  for,  it  astonished  the 
captain  to  see  how  many  of  the  sailors  desired  to  go. 

The  larger  boat  pulled  six  oars,  and  seven  men,  be 
sides  the  mate  Kynders,  were  selected  to  go  in  her. 
As  soon  as  she  could  be  made  ready  she  was  launched 
and  started  southward  on  her  voyage  of  discovery, 
the  mate  having  first  taken  such  good  observation  of 
the  landmarks  that  he  felt  sure  he  would  have  no 
difficulty  in  finding  the  spot  where  he  left  his  com 
panions.  The  people  in  the  little  camp  on  the  bluff 

7 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

now  consisted  of  Captain  Horn,  the  two  ladies,  the 
boy  Kalph,  three  sailors,— one  an  Englishman,  and 
the  other  two  Americans  from  Cape  Cod,— and  a  jet- 
black  native  African,  known  as  Maka. 

Captain  Horn  had  not  cared  to  keep  i^any  men 
with  him  in  the  camp,  because  there  they  would  have 
little  to  do,  and  all  the  strong  arms  that  could  be 
spared  would  be  needed  in  the  boat.  The  three 
sailors  he  had  retained  were  men  of  intelligence,  on 
whom  he  believed  he  could  rely  in  case  of  emergency, 
and  Maka  was  kept  because  he  was  a  cook.  He  had 
been  one  of  the  cargo  of  a  slave-ship  which  had  been 
captured  by  a  British  cruiser  several  years  before, 
when  on  its  way  to  Cuba,  and  the  unfortunate  negroes 
had  been  landed  in  British  Guiana.  It  was  impossi 
ble  to  return  them  to  Africa,  because  none  of  them 
could  speak  English,  or  in  any  way  give  an  idea  as  to 
what  tribes  they  belonged,  and  if  they  should  be 
landed  anywhere  in  Africa  except  among  their 
friends,  they  would  be  immediately  reenslaved.  For 
some  years  they  lived  in  Guiana,  in  a  little  colony  by 
themselves,  and  then,  a  few  of  them  having  learned 
some  English,  they  made  their  way  to  Panama,  where 
they  obtained  employment  as  laborers  on  the  great 
canal.  Maka,  who  was  possessed  of  better  intelli 
gence  than  most  of  his  fellows,  improved  a  good  deal 
in  his  English,  and  learned  to  cook  very  well,  and 
having  wandered  to  San  Francisco,  had  been  employed 
for  two  or  three  voyages  by  Captain  Horn.  Maka 
was  a  faithful  and  willing  servant,  and  if  he  had  been 
able  to  express  himself  more  intelligibly,  his  merits 
might  have  been  better  appreciated. 


8 


CHAPTEE  H 

A  NEW  FACE  IN  CAMP 

THE  morning  after  the  departure  of  the  boat,  Captain 
Horn,  in  company  with  the  Englishman  Davis,  each 
armed  with  a  gun,  set  out  on  a  tour  of  investigation, 
hoping  to  be  able  to  ascend  the  rocky  hills  at  the  back 
of  the  camp,  and  find  some  elevated  point  command 
ing  a  view  over  the  ocean.  After  a  good  deal  of  hard 
climbing  they  reached  such  a  point,  but  the  captain 
found  that  the  main  object  was  really  out  of  his  reach. 
He  could  now  plainly  see  that  a  high  rocky  point  to 
the  southward,  which  stretched  some  distance  out  to 
sea,  would  cut  off  all  view  of  the  approach  of  rescuers 
coming  from  that  direction,  until  they  were  within  a 
mile  or  two  of  his  landing-place.  Back  from  the  sea 
the  hills  grew  higher,  until  they  blended  into  the  lofty 
stretches  of  the  Andes,  this  being  one  of  the  few 
points  where  the  hilly  country  extends  to  the  ocean. 
The  coast  to  the  north  curved  a  little  oceanward,  so 
that  a  much  more  extended  view  could  be  had  in  that 
direction,  but  as  far  as  he  could  see  by  means  of  a  lit 
tle  pocket-glass  which  the  boy  Kalph  had  lent  him, 
the  captain  could  discover  no  signs  of  habitation,  and 
in  this  direction  the  land  seemed  to  be  a  flat  desert. 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

When  he  returned  to  camp,  about  noon,  he  had  made 
up  his  mind  that  the  proper  thing  to  do  was  to  make 
himself  and  his  companions  as  comfortable  as  possible 
and  patiently  await  the  return  of  his  mate  with 
succor. 

Captain  Horn  was  very  well  satisfied  with  his  pres 
ent  place  of  encampment.  Although  rain  is  unknown 
in  this  western  portion  of  Peru,  which  is,  therefore,  in 
general  desolate  and  barren,  there  are  parts  of  the 
country  that  are  irrigated  by  streams  which  flow  from 
the  snow-capped  peaks  of  the  Andes,  and  one  of  these 
fertile  spots  the  captain  seemed  to  have  happened 
upon.  On  the  plateau  there  grew  a  few  bushes,  while 
the  face  of  the  rock  in  places  was  entirely  covered  by 
hanging  vines.  This  fertility  greatly  puzzled  Captain 
Horn,  for  nowhere  was  to  be  seen  any  stream  of  water, 
or  signs  of  there  ever  having  been  any.  But  they 
had  with  them  water  enough  to  last  for  several  days, 
and  provisions  for  a  much  longer  time,  and  the  cap 
tain  felt  little  concern  on  this  account. 

As  for  lodgings,  there  were  none  excepting  the 
small  tent  which  he  had  put  up  for  the  ladies,  but  a 
few  nights  in  the  open  air  in  that  dry  climate  would 
not  hurt  the  male  portion  of  the  party. 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon,  the  two  American 
sailors  came  to  Captain  Horn  and  asked  permission 
to  go  to  look  for  game.  The  captain  had  small  hopes 
of  their  finding  anything  suitable  for  food,  but  feeling 
sure  that  if  they  should  be  successful,  every  one  would 
be  glad  of  a  little  fresh  meat,  he  gave  his  permission, 
at  the  same  time  requesting  the  men  to  do  their  best 
in  the  way  of  observation,  if  they  should  get  up  high 
enough  to  survey  the  country,  and  discover  some 

10 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

signs  of  habitation,  if  such  existed  in  that  barren 
region.  It  would  be  a  great  relief  to  the  captain  to 
feel  that  there  was  some  spot  of  refuge  to  which,  by 
land  or  water,  his  party  might  make  its  way  in  case 
the  water  and  provisions  gave  out  before  the  return 
of  the  mate. 

As  to  the  men  who  went  off  in  the  boat,  the  cap 
tain  expected  to  see  but  a  few  of  them  again.  One  or 
two  might  return  with  the  mate,  in  such  vessel  as  he 
should  obtain  in  which  to  come  for  them,  but  the 
most  of  them,  if  they  reached  a  seaport,  would  scatter, 
after  the  manner  of  seamen. 

The  two  sailors  departed,  promising,  if  they  could 
not  bring  back  fish  or  fowl,  to  return  before  dark, 
with  a  report  of  the  lay  of  the  land. 

It  was  very  well  that  Maka  did  not  have  to  depend 
on  these  hunters  for  the  evening  meal,  for  night  came 
without  them,  and  the  next  morning  they  had  not  re 
turned.  The  captain  was  very  much  troubled.  The 
men  must  be  lost,  or  they  had  met  with  some  acci 
dent.  There  could  be  no  other  reason  for  their  con 
tinued  absence.  They  had  each  a  gun,  and  plenty  of 
powder  and  shot,  but  they  had  taken  only  provisions 
enough  for  a  single  meal. 

Davis  offered  to  go  up  the  hills  to  look  for  the 
missing  men.  He  had  lived  for  some  years  in  the 
bush  in  Australia,  and  he  thought  that  there  was  a 
good  chance  of  his  discovering  their  tracks.  But  the 
captain  shook  his  head. 

"You  are  just  as  likely  to  get  lost,  or  to  fall  over  a 
rock,  as  anybody  else,"  he  said,  "and  it  is  better  to 
have  two  men  lost  than  three.  But  there  is  one  thing 
that  you  can  do.  You  can  go  down  to  the  beach,  and 

11 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

make  your  way  southward  as  far  as  possible.  There 
you  can  find  your  way  back,  and  if  you  take  a  gun, 
and  fire  it  every  now  and  then,  you  may  attract  the 
attention  of  Shirley  and  Burke,  if  they  are  on  the  hills 
above,  and  perhaps  they  may  even  be  able  to  see  you 
as  you  walk  along.  If  they  are  alive,  they  will  prob 
ably  see  or  hear  you,  and  fire  in  answer.  It  is  a  very 
strange  thing  that  we  have  not  heard  a  shot  from 
them." 

Ralph  begged  to  accompany  the  Englishman,  for  he 
was  getting  very  restless,  and  longed  for  a  ramble  and 
scramble.  But  neither  the  captain  nor  his  sister  would 
consent  to  this,  and  Davis  started  off  alone. 

"If  you  can  round  the  point  down  there,"  said  the 
captain  to  him,  "do  it,  for  you  may  see  a  town  or 
houses  not  far  away  on  the  other  side.  But  don't  take 
any  risks.  At  all  events,  make  your  calculations  so 
that  you  will  be  back  here  before  dark." 

The  captain  and  Ralph  assisted  the  two  ladies  to  a 
ledge  of  rock  near  the  camp  from  which  they  could 
watch  the  Englishman  on  his  way.  They  saw  him 
reach  the  beach,  and  after  going  on  a  short  distance 
he  fired  his  gun,  after  which  he  pressed  forward,  now 
and  then  stopping  to  fire  again.  Even  from  their  in 
considerable  elevation  they  could  see  him  until  he 
must  have  been  more  than  a  mile  away,  and  he  soon 
after  vanished  from  their  view. 

As  on  the  previous  day  darkness  came  without  the 
two  American  sailors,  so  now  it  came  without  the 
Englishman,  and  in  the  morning  he  had  not  returned. 
Of  course,  every  mind  was  filled  with  anxiety  in  re 
gard  to  the  three  sailors,  but  Captain  Horn's  soul  was 
racked  with  apprehensions  of  which  he  did  not  speak. 

12 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

The  conviction  forced  itself  upon  Mm  that  the  men 
had  been  killed  by  wild  beasts.  He  could  imagine  no 
other  reason  why  Davis  should  not  have  returned. 
He  had  been  ordered  not  to  leave  the  beach,  and, 
therefore,  could  not  lose  his  way.  He  was  a  wary, 
careful  man,  used  to  exploring  rough  country,  and  he 
was  not  likely  to  take  any  chances  of  disabling  him 
self  by  a  fall  while  on  such  an  expedition. 

Although  he  knew  that  the  great  jaguar  was  found 
in  Peru,  as  well  as  the  puma  and  black  bear,  the  cap 
tain  had  not  supposed  it  likely  that  any  of  these  crea 
tures  frequented  the  barren  western  slopes  of  the 
mountains,  but  he  now  reflected  that  there  were  lions 
in  the  deserts  of  Africa,  and  that  the  beasts  of  prey  in 
South  America  might  also  be  found  in  its  deserts. 

A  great  responsibility  now  rested  upon  Captain 
Horn.  He  was  the  only  man  left  in  camp  who  could 
be  depended  upon  as  a  defender,— for  Maka  was  known 
to  be  a  coward,  and  Ralph  was  only  a  boy, — and  it 
was  with  a  shrinking  of  the  heart  that  he  asked  him 
self  what  would  be  the  consequences  if  a  couple  of 
jaguars  or  other  ferocious  beasts  were  to  appear  upon 
that  unprotected  plateau  in  the  night,  or  even  in  the 
daytime.  He  had  two  guns,  but  he  was  only  one 
man.  These  thoughts  were  not  cheerful,  but  the  cap 
tain's  face  showed  no  signs  of  alarm,  or  even  unusual 
anxiety,  and,  with  a  smile  on  his  handsome  brown 
countenance,  he  bade  the  ladies  good  morning  as  if  he 
were  saluting  them  upon  a  quarter-deck. 

"I  have  been  thinking  all  night  about  those  three 
men,"  said  Miss  Markham,  "and  I  have  imagined 
something  which  may  have  happened.  Isn't  it  possi 
ble  that  they  may  have  discovered  at  a  distance  some 

13 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

inland  settlement  which  could  not  be  seen  by  the 
party  in  the  boat,  and  that  they  thought  it  their  duty 
to  push  their  way  to  it,  and  so  get  assistance  for  us? 
In  that  case,  you  know,  they  would  probably  be  a  long 
time  coming  back." 

"That  is  possible,"  said  the  captain,  glad  to  hear  a 
hopeful  supposition,  but  in  his  heart  he  had  no  faith 
in  it  whatever.  If  Davis  had  seen  a  village,  or  even 
a  house,  he  would  have  come  back  to  report  it,  and 
if  the  others  had  found  human  habitation,  they  would 
have  had  ample  time  to  return,  either  by  land  or  by 
sea. 

The  restless  Ealph,  who  had  chafed  a  good  deal  be 
cause  he  had  not  been  allowed  to  leave  the  plateau  in 
search  of  adventure,  now  found  a  vent  for  his  surplus 
energy,  for  the  captain  appointed  him  fire -maker. 
The  camp  fuel  was  not  abundant,  consisting  of  nothing 
but  some  dead  branches  and  twigs  from  the  few 
bushes  in  the  neighborhood.  These  Ralph  collected 
with  great  energy,  and  Maka  had  nothing  to  complain 
of  in  regard  to  fuel  for  his  cooking. 

Toward  the  end  of  that  afternoon,  Ralph  prepared 
to  make  a  fire  for  the  supper,  and  he  determined  to 
change  the  position  of  the  fireplace  and  bring  it 
nearer  the  rocks,  where  he  thought  it  would  burn 
better.  It  did  burn  better — so  well,  indeed,  that  some 
of  the  dry  leaves  of  the  vines  that  there  covered  the 
face  of  the  rocks  took  fire.  Ralph  watched  with  in 
terest  the  dry  leaves  blaze  and  the  green  ones  splutter, 
and  then  he  thought  it  would  be  a  pity  to  scorch 
those  vines,  which  were  among  the  few  green  things 
about  them,  and  he  tried  to  put  out  the  fire.  But  this 
he  could  not  do,  and,  when  he  called  Maka,  the  negro 

14 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

was  not  able  to  help  him.  The  fire  had  worked  its 
way  back  of  the  green  vines,  and  seemed  to  have 
found  good  fuel,  for  it  was  soon  crackling  away  at  a 
great  rate,  attracting  the  rest  of  the  party. 

"Can't  we  put  it  out  ? "  cried  Miss  Markham.  "It  is 
a  pity  to  ruin  those  beautiful  vines." 

The  captain  smiled  and  shook  his  head.  "We  can 
not  waste  our  valuable  water  on  that  conflagration," 
said  he.  "There  is  probably  a  great  mass  of  dead 
vines  behind  the  green  outside.  How  it  crackles  and 
roars !  That  dead  stuff  must  be  several  feet  thick. 
All  we  can  do  is  to  let  it  burn.  It  cannot  hurt  us. 
It  cannot  reach  your  tent,  for  there  are  no  vines  over 
there." 

The  fire  continued  to  roar  and  blaze,  and  to  leap 
up  the  face  of  the  rock. 

"It  is  wonderful,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "to  think  how 
those  vines  must  have  been  growing  and  dying,  and 
new  ones  growing  and  dying,  year  after  year,  nobody 
knows  how  many  ages." 

"What  is  most  wonderful  to  me,"  said  the  captain, 
"is  that  the  vines  ever  grew  there  at  all,  or  that  these 
bushes  should  be  here.  Nothing  can  grow  in  this 
region,  unless  it  is  watered  by  a  stream  from  the 
mountains,  and  there  is  no  stream  here." 

Miss  Markham  was  about  to  offer  a  supposition  to 
the  effect  that  perhaps  the  precipitous  wall  of  rock 
which  surrounded  the  little  plateau,  and  shielded  it 
from  the  eastern  sun,  might  have  had  a  good  effect 
upon  the  vegetation,  when  suddenly  Ralph,  who  had 
a  ship's  biscuit  on  the  end  of  a  sharp  stick,  and  was 
toasting  it  in  the  embers  of  a  portion  of  the  burnt 
vines,  sprang  back  with  a  shout. 

15 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Look  out ! "  he  cried.  "The  whole  thing's  coming 
down  ! "  And,  sure  enough,  in  a  moment  a  large  por 
tion  of  the  vines,  which  had  been  clinging  to  the  rock, 
fell  upon  the  ground  in  a  burning  mass.  A  cloud  of 
smoke  and  dust  arose,  and  when  it  had  cleared  away 
the  captain  and  his  party  saw  upon  the  perpendicular 
side  of  the  rock,  which  was  now  revealed  to  them  as 
if  a  veil  had  been  torn  away  from  in  front  of  it,  an 
enormous  face  cut  out  of  the  solid  stone. 


16 


CHAPTER   III 

A  CHANGE  OF  LODGINGS 

THE  great  face  stared  down  upon  the  little  party 
gathered  beneath  it.  Its  chin  was  about  eight  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  its  stony  countenance  extended 
at  least  that  distance  up  the  cliff.  Its  features  were 
in  low  relief,  but  clear  and  distinct,  and  a  smoke- 
blackened  patch  beneath  one  of  its  eyes  gave  it  a  sin 
ister  appearance.  From  its  wide-stretching  mouth  a 
bit  of  half-burnt  vine  hung,  trembling  in  the  heated 
air,  and  this  element  of  motion  produced  the  impres 
sion  on  several  of  the  party  that  the  creature  was 
about  to  open  its  lips. 

Mrs.  Cliff  gave  a  little  scream,— she  could  not  help 
it,— and  Maka  sank  down  on  his  knees,  his  back  to  the 
rock,  and  covered  his  face  with  his  hands.  Ralph 
was  the  first  to  speak. 

"There  have  been  heathen  around  here,"  he  said. 
"That's  a  regular  idol." 

"You  are  right,"  said  the  captain.  "That  is  a  bit 
of  old-time  work.  That  face  was  cut  by  the  original 
natives." 

The  two  ladies  were  so  interested,  and  even  excited, 
that  they  seized  each  other  by  the  hands.  Here  be 
fore  their  faces  was  a  piece  of  sculpture  doubtless 

17 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

done  by  the  people  of  ancient  Peru,  that  people  who 
were  discovered  by  Pizarro ;  and  this  great  idol,  or 
whatever  it  was,  had  perhaps  never  before  been  seen 
by  civilized  eyes.  It  was  wonderful,  and  in  the  con 
jecture  and  exclamation  of  the  next  half-hour  every 
thing  else  was  forgotten,  even  the  three  sailors. 

Because  the  captain  was  the  captain,  it  was  natural 
that  every  one  should  look  to  him  for  some  suggestion 
as  to  why  this  great  stone  face  should  have  been 
carved  here  on  this  lonely  and  desolate  rock.  But 
he  shook  his  head. 

"I  have  no  ideas  about  it,"  he  said,  "except  that  it 
must  have  been  some  sort  of  a  landmark.  It  looks 
out  toward  the  sea,  and  perhaps  the  ancient  inhabi 
tants  put  it  there  so  that  people  in  ships,  coming  near 
enough  to  the  coast,  should  know  where  they  were. 
Perhaps  it  was  intended  to  act  as  a  lighthouse  to  warn 
seamen  off  a  dangerous  coast.  But  I  must  say  that  I 
do  not  see  how  it  could  do  that,  for  they  would  have 
had  to  come  pretty  close  to  the  shore  to  see  it,  unless 
they  had  better  glasses  than  we  have." 

The  sun  was  now  near  the  horizon,  and  Maka  was 
lifted  to  his  feet  by  the  captain,  and  ordered  to  stop 
groaning  in  African,  and  go  to  work  to  get  supper 
on  the  glowing  embers  of  the  vines.  He  obeyed,  of 
course,  but  never  did  he  turn  his  face  upward  to  that 
gaunt  countenance,  which  grinned  and  winked  and 
frowned  whenever  a  bit  of  twig  blazed  up,  or  the 
coals  were  stirred  by  the  trembling  negro. 

After  supper  and  until  the  light  had  nearly  faded 
from  the  western  sky,  the  two  ladies  sat  and  watched 
that  vast  face  upon  the  rocks,  its  features  growing 
more  and  more  solemn  as  the  light  decreased. 

1-3 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"I  wish  I  had  a  long-handled  broom,"  said  Mrs. 
Cliff,  "for  if  the  dust  and  smoke  and  ashes  of  burnt 
leaves  were  brushed  from  off  its  nose  and  eyebrows,  I 
believe  it  would  have  a  rather  gracious  expression." 

As  for  the  captain,  he  went  walking  about  on  the 
outlying  portion  of  the  plateau,  listening  and  watch 
ing.  But  it  was  not  stone  faces  he  was  thinking  of. 
That  night  he  did  not  sleep  at  all,  but  sat  until  day 
break,  with  a  loaded  gun  across  his  knees,  and  another 
one  lying  on  the  ground  beside  him. 

When  Miss  Markham  emerged  from  the  rude  tent 
the  next  morning,  and  came  out  into  the  bright  light 
of  day,  the  first  thing  she  saw  was  her  brother  Kalph, 
who  looked  as  if  he  had  been  sweeping  a  chimney  or 
cleaning  out  an  ash-hole. 

"What  on  earth  has  happened  to  you?"  she  cried. 
"How  did  you  get  yourself  so  covered  with  dirt  and 
ashes  ? " 

"I  got  up  ever  so  long  ago,"  he  replied,  "and  as  the 
captain  is  asleep  over  there,  and  there  was  nobody  to 
talk  to,  I  thought  I  would  go  and  try  to  find  the  back 
of  his  head  "—pointing  to  the  stone  face  above  them. 
"But  he  hasn't  any.  He  is  a  sham." 

"What  do  you  mean? "  asked  his  sister. 

"You  see,  Edna,"  said  the  boy,  "I  thought  I  would 
try  if  I  could  find  any  more  faces,  and  so  I  got  a  bit 
of  stone,  and  scratched  away  some  of  the  burnt  vines 
that  had  not  fallen,  and  there  I  found  an  open  place 
in  the  rock  on  this  side  of  the  face.  Step  this  way, 
and  you  can  see  it.  It's  like  a  narrow  doorway.  I 
went  and  looked  into  it,  and  saw  that  it  led  back  of 
the  big  face,  and  I  went  in  to  see  what  was  there." 

"You  should  never  have  done  that,  Kalph,"  cried 

19 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

his  sister.  "There  might  have  been  snakes  in  that 
place,  or  precipices,  or  nobody  knows  what.  What 
could  you  expect  to  see  in  the  dark  ? " 

"It  wasn't  so  dark  as  you  might  think,"  said  he. 
"After  my  eyes  got  used  to  the  place  I  could  see  very 
well.  But  there  was  nothing  to  see— just  walls  on 
each  side.  There  was  more  of  the  passageway  ahead 
of  me,  but  I  began  to  think  of  snakes  myself,  and  as  I 
did  not  have  a  club  or  anything  to  kill  them  with,  I 
concluded  I  wouldn't  go  any  farther.  It  isn't  so  very 
dirty  in  there.  Most  of  this  I  got  on  myself  scraping 
down  the  burnt  vines.  Here  comes  the  captain.  He 
doesn't  generally  oversleep  himself  like  this.  If  he 
will  go  with  me,  we  will  explore  that  crack." 

When  Captain  Horn  heard  of  the  passage  into  the 
rock,  he  was  much  more  interested  than  Ralph  had 
expected  him  to  be,  and,  without  loss  of  time,  he 
lighted  a  lantern  and,  with  the  boy  behind  him,  set 
out  to  investigate  it.  But  before  entering  the  cleft, 
the  captain  stationed  Maka  at  a  place  where  he  could 
view  all  the  approaches  to  the  plateau,  and  told  him 
if  he  saw  any  snakes  or  other  dangerous  things  ap 
proaching,  to  run  to  the  opening  and  call  him.  Now, 
snakes  were  among  the  few  things  that  Maka  was  not 
afraid  of,  and  so  long  as  he  thought  these  were  the 
enemies  to  be  watched,  he  would  make  a  most  effi 
cient  sentinel. 

When  Captain  Horn  had  cautiously  advanced  a 
couple  of  yards  into  the  interior  of  the  rock,  he 
stopped,  raised  his  lantern,  and  looked  about  him. 
The  passage  was  about  two  feet  wide,  the  floor  some 
what  lower  than  the  ground  outside,  and  the  roof  but 
a  few  feet  above  his  head.  It  was  plainly  the  work 

20 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

of  man,  and  not  a  natural  crevice  in  the  rocks.  Then 
the  captain  put  the  lantern  behind  him,  and  stared 
into  the  gloom  ahead  of  them.  As  Ralph  had  said,  it 
was  not  so  dark  as  might  have  been  expected.  In 
fact,  about  twenty  feet  forward  there  was  a  dim  light 
on  the  right-hand  wall. 

The  captain,  still  followed  by  Kalph,  now  moved 
on  until  they  came  to  this  lighted  place,  and  found  it 
was  an  open  doorway.  Both  heads  together,  they 
peeped  in,  and  saw  it  was  an  opening  like  a  doorway 
into  a  chamber  about  fifteen  feet  square  and  with 
very  high  walls.  They  scarcely  needed  the  lantern  to 
examine  it,  for  a  jagged  opening  in  the  roof  let  in  a 
good  deal  of  light. 

Passing  into  this  chamber,  keeping  a  good  watch 
out  for  pitfalls  as  he  moved  on,  and  forgetting,  in  his 
excitement,  that  he  might  go  so  far  that  he  could  not 
hear  Maka,  should  he  call,  the  captain  saw  to  the  right 
another  open  doorway,  on  the  other  side  of  which  was 
another  chamber,  about  the  size  of  the  one  they  had 
first  entered.  One  side  of  this  was  a  good  deal 
broken  away,  and  through  a  fracture  three  or  four 
feet  wide  the  light  entered  freely,  as  if  from  the  open 
air.  But  when  the  two  explorers  peered  through  the 
ragged  aperture,  they  did  not  look  into  the  open  air, 
but  into  another  chamber,  very  much  larger  than  the 
others,  with  high,  irregular  walls,  but  with  scarcely 
any  roof,  almost  the  whole  of  the  upper  part  being 
open  to  the  sky. 

A  mass  of  broken  rocks  on  the  floor  of  this  apart 
ment  showed  that  the  roof  had  fallen  in.  The  captain 
entered  it  and  carefully  examined  it.  A  portion  of 
the  floor  was  level  and  unobstructed  by  rocks,  and  in 

21 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  walls  there  was  not  the  slightest  sign  of  a  doorway, 
except  the  one  by  which  he  had  entered  from  the 
adjoining  chamber. 

"Hurrah  !  "  cried  Ralph.  "Here  is  a  suite  of  rooms. 
Isn't  this  grand?  You  and  I  can  have  that  first  one, 
Maka  can  sleep  in  the  hall  to  keep  out  burglars,  and 
Edna  and  Mrs.  Cliff  can  have  the  middle  room,  and 
this  open  place  here  can  be  their  garden,  where  they 
can  take  tea  and  sew.  These  rocks  will  make  splen 
did  tables  and  chairs." 

The  captain  stood,  breathing  hard,  a  sense  of  relief 
coming  over  him  like  the  warmth  of  fire.  He  had 
thought  of  what  Ralph  had  said  before  the  boy  had 
spoken.  Here  was  safety  from  wild  beasts— here  was 
immunity  from  the  only  danger  he  could  imagine  to 
those  under  his  charge.  It  might  be  days  yet  before 
the  mate  returned,— he  knew  the  probable  difficulties 
of  obtaining  a  vessel,  even  when  a  port  should  be 
reached, — but  they  would  be  safe  here  from  the  at 
tacks  of  ferocious  animals,  principally  to  be  feared  in 
the  night.  They  might  well  be  thankful  for  such  a 
good  place  as  this  in  which  to  await  the  arrival  of 
succor,  if  succor  came  before  their  water  gave  out. 
There  were  biscuits,  salt  meat,  tea,  and  other  things 
enough  to  supply  their  wants  for  perhaps  a  week 
longer,  provided  the  three  sailors  did  not  return,  but 
the  supply  of  water,  although  they  were  very  eco 
nomical  of  it,  must  give  out  in  a  day  or  two.  "But," 
thought  the  captain,  "Rynders  may  be  back  before 
that,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  a  family  of  jaguars 
might  scent  us  out  to-night." 

"You  are  right,  my  boy,"  said  he,  speaking  to 

22 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Kalpli.  "Here  is  a  suite  of  rooms,  and  we  will  occupy 
them  just  as  you  have  said.  They  are  dry  and  airy, 
and  it  will  be  far  better  for  us  to  sleep  here  than  out 
of  doors." 

As  they  returned,  Ealph  was  full  of  talk  about  the 
grand  find.  But  the  captain  made  no  answers  to  his 
remarks — his  mind  was  busy  contriving  some  means 
of  barricading  the  narrow  entrance  at  night. 

When  breakfast  was  over,  and  the  entrance  to  the 
rocks  had  been  made  cleaner  and  easier  by  the  efforts 
of  Maka  and  Kalph,  the  ladies  were  conducted  to  the 
suite  of  rooms  which  Kalph  had  described  in  such 
glowing  terms.  Both  were  filled  with  curiosity  to  see 
these  apartments,  especially  Miss  Markham,  who  was 
fairly  well  read  in  the  history  of  South  America,  and 
who  had  already  imagined  that  the  vast  mass  of  rock 
by  which  they  had  camped  might  be  in  reality  a 
temple  of  the  ancient  Peruvians,  to  which  the  stone 
face  was  a  sacred  sentinel.  But  when  the  three  apart 
ments  had  been  thoroughly  explored  she  was  disap 
pointed. 

"There  is  not  a  sign  or  architectural  adornment,  or 
anything  that  seems  to  have  the  least  religious  sig 
nificance,  or  significance  of  any  sort,"  she  said.  "These 
are  nothing  but  three  stone  rooms,  with  their  roofs 
more  or  less  broken  in.  They  do  not  even  suggest 
dungeons." 

As  for  Mrs.  Cliff,  she  did  not  hesitate  to  say  that 
she  should  prefer  to  sleep  in  the  open  air. 

"It  would  be  dreadful,"  she  said,  "to  awaken  in  the 
night  and  think  of  those  great  stone  walls  about  me." 

Even  Kalph  remarked  that,  on  second  thought,  lie 
23 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

believed  he  would  rather  sleep  out  of  doors,  for  he 
liked  to  look  up  and  see  the  stars  before  he  went  to 
sleep. 

At  first  the  captain  was  a  little  annoyed  to  find  that 
this  place  of  safety,  the  discovery  of  which  had  given 
him  such  satisfaction  and  relief,  was  looked  upon  with 
such  disfavor  by  those  who  needed  it  so  very  much, 
but  then  the  thought  came  to  him,  ""Why  should  they 
care  about  a  place  of  safety,  when  they  have  no  idea 
of  danger?"  He  did  not  now  hesitate  to  settle  the 
matter  in  the  most  straightforward  and  honest  way. 
Having  a  place  of  refuge  to  offer,  the  time  had  come 
to  speak  of  the  danger.  And  so,  standing  in  the  larger 
apartment,  and  addressing  his  party,  he  told  them  of 
the  fate  he  feared  had  overtaken  the  three  sailors, 
and  how  anxious  he  had  been  lest  the  same  fate  should 
come  upon  some  one  or  all  of  them. 

Now  vanished  every  spark  of  opposition  to  the  cap 
tain's  proffered  lodgings. 

"If  we  should  be  here  but  one  night  longer/'  cried 
Mrs.  Cliff,  echoing  the  captain's  thought,  "let  us  be 
safe." 

In  the  course  of  the  day  the  two  rooms  were  made 
as  comfortable  as  circumstances  would  allow  with  the 
blankets,  shawls,  and  canvas  which  had  been  brought 
on  shore,  and  that  night  they  all  slept  in  the  rock 
chambers,  the  captain  having  made  a  barricade  for 
the  opening  of  the  narrow  passage  with  the  four  oars, 
which  he  brought  up  from  the  boat.  Even  should 
these  be  broken  down  by  some  wild  beast,  Captain 
Horn  felt  that,  with  his  two  guns  at  the  end  of  the 
narrow  passage,  he  might  defend  his  party  from  the 
attacks  of  any  of  the  savage  animals  of  the  country. 

24 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

The  captain  slept  soundly  that  night,  for  he  had 
had  but  a  nap  of  an  hour  or  two  on  the  previous 
morning,  and,  with  Maka  stretched  in  the  passage 
outside  the  door  of  his  room,  he  knew  that  he  would 
have  timely  warning  of  danger,  should  any  come. 
But  Mrs.  Cliff  did  not  sleep  well,  spending  a  large 
part  of  the  night  imagining  the  descent  of  active  car- 
nivora  down  the  lofty  and  perpendicular  walls  of  the 
large  adjoining  apartment. 

The  next  day  was  passed  rather  wearily  by  most  of 
the  party  in  looking  out  for  signs  of  a  vessel  with 
the  returning  mate.  Ralph  had  made  a  flag  which 
he  could  wave  from  a  high  point  near  by,  in  case  he 
should  see  a  sail,  for  it  would  be  a  great  misfortune 
should  Mr.  Rynders  pass  them  without  knowing  it. 

To  the  captain,  however,  came  a  new  and  terrible 
anxiety.  He  had  looked  into  the  water-keg,  and  saw 
that  it  held  but  a  few  quarts.  It  had  not  lasted  as 
long  as  he  had  expected,  for  this  was  a  thirsty  climate. 

The  next  night  Mrs.  Cliff  slept,  having  been  con 
vinced  that  not  even  a  cat  could  come  down  those 
walls.  The  captain  woke  very  early,  and  when  he 
went  out  he  found,  to  his  amazement,  that  the  barricade 
had  been  removed,  and  he  could  not  see  Maka.  He 
thought  at  first  that  perhaps  the  negro  had  gone  down 
to  the  sea-shore  to  get  some  water  for  washing  pur 
poses,  but  an  hour  passed,  and  Maka  did  not  return. 
The  whole  party  went  down  to  the  beach,  for  the 
captain  insisted  upon  all  keeping  together.  They 
shouted,  they  called,  they  did  whatever  they  could  to 
discover  the  lost  African,  but  all  without  success. 

They  returned  to  camp,  disheartened  and  depressed. 
This  new  loss  had  something  terrible  in  it.  What  it 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

meant  no  one  could  conjecture.  There  was  no  reason 
why  Maka  should  run  away,  for  there  was  no  place  to 
run  to,  and  it  was  impossible  that  any  wild  beast 
should  have  removed  the  oars  and  carried  off  the 
negro. 


CHAPTER  IV 

ANOTHER  NEW   FACE 

As  the  cook  had  gone,  Mrs.  Cliff  and  Miss  Markham 
prepared  breakfast,  and  then  they  discovered  how 
little  water  there  was. 

There  was  something  mysterious  about  the  succes 
sive  losses  of  his  men  which  pressed  heavily  upon  the 
soul  of  Captain  Horn,  but  the  want  of  water  pressed 
still  more  heavily.  Ralph  had  just  asked  his  per 
mission  to  go  down  to  the  beach  and  bathe  in  the  sea, 
saying  that  as  he  could  not  have  all  the  water  he 
wanted  to  drink,  it  might  make  him  feel  better  to 
take  a  swim  in  plenty  of  water.  The  boy  was  not 
allowed  to  go  so  far  from  camp  by  himself,  but  the 
captain  could  not  help  thinking  how  this  poor  fellow 
would  probably  feel  the  next  day  if  help  had  not  ar 
rived,  and  of  the  sufferings  of  the  others,  which,  by 
that  time,  would  have  begun.  Still,  as  before,  he 
spoke  hopefully,  and  the  two  women,  as  brave  as  he, 
kept  up  good  spirits,  and  although  they  each  thought 
of  the  waterless  morrow,  they  said  nothing  about  it. 

As  for  Ralph,  he  confidently  expected  the  return 
of  the  men  in  the  course  of  the  day,  as  he  had  done 

27 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

in  the  course  of  each  preceding  day,  and  two  or  three 
times  an  hour  he  was  at  his  post  of  observation,  ready 
to  wave  his  flag. 

Even  had  he  supposed  that  it  would  be  of  any  use 
to  go  to  look  for  Maka,  a  certain  superstitious  feeling 
would  have  prevented  the  captain  from  doing  so.  If 
he  should  go  out,  and  not  return,  there  would  be 
little  hope  for  those  two  women  and  the  boy.  But  he 
could  not  help  feeling  that  beyond  the  rocky  plateau 
which  stretched  out  into  the  sea  to  the  southward, 
and  which  must  be  at  least  two  miles  away,  there 
might  be  seen  some  signs  of  habitation,  and,  conse 
quently,  of  a  stream.  If  anything  of  the  sort  could  be 
seen,  it  might  become  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
party  to  make  their  way  toward  it,  either  by  land  or 
sea,  no  matter  how  great  the  fatigue  or  the  danger, 
and  without  regard  to  the  fate  of  those  who  had  left 
camp  before  them. 

About  half  an  hour  afterwards,  when  the  captain 
had  mounted  some  rocks  near  by,  from  which  he 
thought  he  might  get  a  view  of  the  flat  region  to  the 
north  on  which  he  might  discover  the  missing  negro, 
Ralph,  who  was  looking  seaward,  gave  a  start,  and 
then  hurriedly  called  to  his  sister  and  Mrs.  Cliff,  and 
pointed  to  the  beach.  There  was  the  figure  of  a  man 
which  might  well  be  Maka,  but,  to  their  amazement 
and  consternation,  he  was  running,  followed,  not  far 
behind,  by  another  man.  The  figures  rapidly  ap 
proached,  and  it  was  soon  seen  that  the  first  man  was 
Maka,  but  that  the  second  figure  was  not  one  of  the 
sailors  who  had  left  them.  Could  he  be  pursuing 
Maka  ?  What  on  earth  did  it  mean  ? 

For  some  moments  Ralph  stood  dumfounded,  and 

28 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

then  ran  in  the  direction  in  which  the  captain  had 
gone,  and  called  to  him. 

At  the  sound  of  his  voice  the  second  figure  stopped 
and  turned  as  if  he  were  about  to  run,  but  Maka — 
they  were  sure  it  was  Maka— seized  him  by  the  arm 
and  held  him.  Therefore  this  newcomer  could  not  be 
pursuing  their  man.  As  the  two  now  came  forward, 
Maka  hurrying  the  other  on,  Kalph  and  his  two  com 
panions  were  amazed  to  see  that  this  second  man  was 
also  an  African,  a  negro  very  much  like  Maka,  and  as 
they  drew  nearer,  the  two  looked  as  if  they  might 
have  been  brothers. 

The  captain  had  wandered  farther  than  he  had  in 
tended,  but  after  several  shouts  from  Ralph  he  came 
running  back,  and  reached  the  camp-ground  just  as 
the  two  negroes  arrived. 

At  the  sight  of  this  tall  man  bounding  toward  him 
the  strange  negro  appeared  to  be  seized  with  a  wild 
terror.  He  broke  away  from  Maka,  and  ran  first  in 
this  direction  and  then  in  that,  and  perceiving  the 
cleft  in  the  face  of  the  rock,  he  blindly  rushed  into  it, 
as  a  rat  would  rush  into  a  hole.  Instantly  Maka  was 
after  him,  and  the  two  were  lost  to  view. 

When  the  captain  had  been  told  of  the  strange 
thing  which  had  happened,  he  stood  without  a  word. 
Another  African  !  This  was  a  puzzle  too  great  for  his 
brain. 

"Are  you  sure  it  was  not  a  native  of  these  parts?" 
said  he,  directly.  "You  know,  they  are  very  dark." 

"No!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff  and  her  companions 
almost  in  the  same  breath,  "it  was  an  African,  exactly 
like  Maka." 

At  this  moment  a  wild  yell  was  heard  from  the  in- 
29 


terior  of  the  rocks,  then  another  and  another.  With 
out  waiting  to  consider  anything,  or  hear  any  more, 
the  captain  dashed  into  the  narrow  passage,  Ralph 
close  behind  him.  They  ran  into  the  room  in  which 
they  had  slept.  They  looked  on  all  sides,  but  saw 
nothing.  Again,  far  away,  they  heard  another  yell, 
and  they  ran  out  again  into  the  passage. 

This  narrow  entry,  as  the  investigating  Ralph  had 
already  discovered,  continued  for  a  dozen  yards  past 
the  doorway  which  led  to  the  chambers,  but  there  it 
ended  in  a  rocky  wall  about  five  feet  high.  Above 
this  was  an  aperture  extending  to  the  roof  of  the  pas 
sage,  but  Ralph,  having  a  wholesome  fear  of  snakes, 
had  not  cared  to  climb  over  the  wall  to  see  what  was 
beyond. 

When  the  captain  and  Ralph  had  reached  the  end 
of  the  passage,  they  heard  another  cry,  and  there 
could  be  no  doubt  that  it  came  through  the  aperture 
by  which  they  stood.  Instantly  Ralph  scrambled  to 
the  top  of  the  wall,  pushed  himself  head  foremost 
through  the  opening,  and  came  down  on  the  other 
side,  partly  on  his  hands  and  partly  on  his  feet.  Had 
the  captain  been  first,  he  would  not  have  made  such 
a  rash  leap,  but  now  he  did  not  hesitate  a  second.  He 
instantly  followed  the  boy,  taking  care,  however,  to 
let  himself  down  on  his  feet. 

The  passage  on  the  other  side  of  the  dividing  wall 
seemed  to  be  the  same  as  that  they  had  just  left,  al 
though  perhaps  a  little  lighter.  After  pushing  011  for 
a  short  distance,  they  found  that  the  passage  made  a 
turn  to  the  right,  and  then  in  a  few  moments  the 
captain  and  Ralph  emerged  into  open  space.  What 
sort  of  space  it  was  they  could  not  comprehend. 

30 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

"It  seemed  to  me,"  said  Kalph,  afterwards,  "as  if  I 
had  fallen  into  the  sky  at  night.  I  was  afraid  to 
move,  for  fear  I  should  tumble  into  astronomical  dis 
tances." 

The  captain  stared  about  him,  apparently  as  much 
confounded  by  the  situation  as  was  the  boy.  But  his 
mind  was  quickly  brought  to  the  consideration  of 
things  which  he  could  understand.  Almost  at  his 
feet  was  Maka,  lying  on  his  face,  his  arms  and  head 
over  the  edge  of  what  might  be  a  bank  or  a  bottom 
less  precipice,  and  yelling  piteously.  Making  a  step 
toward  him,  the  captain  saw  that  he  had  hold  of  an 
other  man,  several  feet  below  him,  and  that  he  could 
not  pull  him  up. 

"Hold  on  tight,  Maka,"  he  cried,  and  then,  taking 
hold  of  the  African's  shoulders,  he  gave  one  mighty 
heave,  lifted  both  men,  and  set  them  on  their  feet 
beside  him. 

Ealph  would  have  willingly  sacrificed  the  rest  of 
his  school-days  to  be  able  to  perform  such  a  feat  as 
that.  But  the  Africans  were  small,  and  the  captain 
was  wildly  excited. 

"Well  might  he  be  excited.  He  was  wet !  The 
strange  man  whom  he  had  pulled  up  had  stumbled 
against  him,  and  he  was  dripping  with  water.  Ealph 
was  by  the  captain,  tightly  gripping  his  arm,  and, 
without  speaking,  they  both  stood  gazing  before  them 
and  around  them. 

At  their  feet,  stretching  away  in  one  direction 
farther  than  they  could  see,  and  what  at  first  sight 
they  had  taken  to  be  air,  was  a  body  of  water— a 
lake  !  Above  them  were  rocks,  and,  as  far  as  they 
could  see  to  the  right,  the  water  seemed  to  be  over- 

31 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

hung  by  a  cavernous  roof.  But  in  front  of  them,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  lake,  which  here  did  not  seem  to 
be  more  than  a  hundred  feet  wide,  there  was  a  great 
upright  opening  in  the  side  of  the  cave,  through  which 
they  could  see  the  distant  mountains  and  a  portion  of 
the  sky. 

"Water !"  said  Ealph,  in  a  low  tone,  as  if  he  had 
been  speaking  in  church,  and  then,  letting  go  of  the 
captain's  arm,  he  began  to  examine  the  ledge,  but  five 
or  six  feet  wide,  on  which  they  stood.  At  his  feet 
the  water  was  at  least  a  yard  below  them,  but  a  little 
distance  on  he  saw  that  the  ledge  shelved  down  to 
the  surface  of  the  lake,  and  in  a  moment  he  had 
reached  this  spot,  and,  throwing  himself  down  on  his 
breast,  he  plunged  his  face  into  the  water  and  began 
drinking  like  a  thirsty  horse.  Presently  he  rose  to 
his  knees  with  a  great  sigh  of  satisfaction. 

"Oh,  captain,"  he  cried,  "it  is  cold  and  delicious. 
I  believe  that  in  one  hour  more  I  should  have  died  of 
thirst." 

But  the  captain  did  not  answer,  nor  did  he  move 
from  the  spot  where  he  stood.  His  thoughts  whirled 
around  in  his  mind  like  chaff  in  a  winnowing-ma- 
chine.  "Water !  A  lake  in  the  bosom  of  the  rocks ! 
Half  an  hour  ago  he  must  have  been  standing  over  it 
as  he  scrambled  up  the  hillside.  Visions  that  he  had 
had  of  the  morrow,  when  all  their  eyes  should  be 
standing  out  of  their  faces,  like  the  eyes  of  ship 
wrecked  sailors  he  had  seen  in  boats,  came  back  to 
him,  and  other  visions  of  his  mate  and  his  men  toiling 
southward  for  perhaps  a  hundred  miles  without  reach 
ing  a  port  or  a  landing,  and  then  the  long,  long  delay 
before  a  vessel  could  be  procured.  And  here  was  water ! 

32 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Kalph  stood  beside  him  for  an  instant.  "Captain/' 
he  cried,  "I  am  going  to  get  a  pail,  and  take  some  to 
Edna  and  Mrs.  Cliff."  And  then  he  was  gone. 

Recalled  thus  to  the  present,  the  captain  stepped 
back.  He  must  do  something— he  must  speak  to  some 
one.  He  must  take  some  advantage  of  this  wonderful, 
this  overpowering  discovery.  But  before  he  could 
bring  his  mind  down  to  its  practical  workings,  Maka 
had  clutched  him  by  the  coat. 

"Cap'n,"  he  said,  "I  must  tell  you.  I  must  speak 
it.  I  must  tell  you  now,  quick.  Wait !  Don't  g«  ! " 


33 


CHAPTEE  V 

THE   EACKBIRDS 

THE  new  African  was  sitting  on  the  ground,  as  far 
back  from  the  edge  of  the  ledge  as  he  could  get, 
shivering  and  shaking,  for  the  water  was  cold.  He 
had  apparently  reached  the  culmination  and  termi 
nation  of  his  fright.  After  his  tumble  into  the  water, 
which  had  happened  because  he  had  been  unable  to 
stop  in  his  mad  flight,  he  had  not  nerve  enough  left 
to  do  anything  more,  no  matter  what  should  appear 
to  scare  him,  and  there  was  really  no  reason  why  he 
should  be  afraid  of  this  big  white  man,  who  did  not 
even  look  at  him  or  give  him  a  thought. 

Maka's  tale,  which  he  told  so  rapidly  and  incohe 
rently  that  he  was  frequently  obliged  to  repeat  por 
tions  of  it,  was  to  the  following  effect :  He  had  thought 
a  great  deal  about  the  scarcity  of  water,  and  it  had 
troubled  him  so  that  he  could  not  sleep.  What  a 
dreadful  thing  it  would  be  for  those  poor  ladies  and 
the  captain  and  the  boy  to  die  because  they  had  no 
water !  His  recollections  of  experiences  in  his  na 
tive  land  made  him  well  understand  that  streams  of 
water  are  to  be  looked  for  between  high  ridges,  and 
the  idea  forced  itself  upon  him  very  strongly  that  on 

34 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  other  side  of  the  ridge  to  the  south  there  might 
be  a  stream.  He  knew  the  captain  would  not  allow 
him  to  leave  the  camp  if  he  asked  permission,  and  so 
he  rose  very  early,  even  before  it  was  light,  and  going 
down  to  the  shore,  made  his  way  along  the  beach— on 
the  same  route,  in  fact,  that  the  Englishman  Davis 
had  taken.  He  was  a  good  deal  frightened  some 
times,  he  said,  by  the  waves,  which  dashed  up  as  if 
they  would  pull  him  into  the  water.  When  he 
reached  the  point  of  the  rocky  ridge,  he  had  no  diffi 
culty  whatever  in  getting  round  it,  as  he  could  easily 
keep  away  from  the  water  by  climbing  over  the 
rocks. 

He  found  that  the  land  on  the  other  side  began  to 
recede  from  the  ocean,  and  that  there  was  a  small 
sandy  beach  below  him.  This  widened  until  it 
reached  another  and  smaller  point  of  rock,  and  be 
yond  this  Maka  believed  he  would  find  the  stream  for 
which  he  was  searching.  And  while  he  was  consider 
ing  whether  he  should  climb  over  it  or  wade  around 
it,  suddenly  a  man  jumped  down  from  the  rock,  almost 
on  top  of  him.  This  man  fell  down  on  his  back,  and 
was  at  first  so  frightened  that  he  did  not  try  to  move. 
Maka's  wits  entirely  deserted  him,  he  said,  and  he  did 
not  know  anything,  except  that  most  likely  he  was 
going  to  die. 

But  on  looking  at  the  man  on  the  ground,  he  saw 
that  he  was  an  African  like  himself,  and  in  a  moment 
he  recognized  him  as  one  of  his  fellow-slaves,  with 
whom  he  had  worked  in  Guiana,  and  also  for  a  short 
time  on  the  Panama  Canal.  This  made  him  think 
that  perhaps  he  was  not  going  to  die,  and  he  went  up 
to  the  other  man  and  spoke  to  him.  Then  the  other 

35 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

man  thought  perhaps  he  was  not  going  to  die,  and  he 
sat  up  and  spoke. 

When  the  other  man  told  his  tale,  Maka  agreed 
with  him  that  it  would  be  far  better  to  die  of  thirst 
than  to  go  on  any  farther  to  look  for  water,  and, 
turning,  he  ran  back,  followed  by  the  other,  and  they 
never  stopped  to  speak  to  each  other  until  they  had 
rounded  the  great  bluff,  and  were  making  their  way 
along  the  beach  toward  the  camp.  Then  his  fellow- 
African  told  Maka  a  great  deal  more,  and  Maka  told 
everything  to  the  captain. 

The  substance  of  the  tale  was  this :  A  mile  farther 
up  the  bay  than  Maka  had  gone,  there  was  a  little 
stream  that  ran  down  the  ravine.  About  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  up  this  stream  there  was  a  spot  where,  it 
appeared  from  the  account,  there  must  be  a  little 
level  ground  suitable  for  habitations.  Here  were  five 
or  six  huts,  almost  entirely  surrounded  by  rocks,  and 
in  these  lived  a  dozen  of  the  most  dreadful  men  in  the 
whole  world.  This  Maka  assured  the  captain,  his 
eyes  wet  with  tears  as  he  spoke.  It  must  truly  be  so, 
because  the  other  African  had  told  him  things  which 
proved  it. 

A  little  farther  up  the  stream,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  ravine,  there  was  a  cave,  a  very  small  one,  and  so 
high  up  in  the  face  of  the  rock  that  it  could  only  be 
reached  by  a  ladder.  In  this  lived  five  black  men, 
members  of  the  company  of  slaves  who  had  gone  from 
Guiana  to  the  isthmus,  and  who  had  been  brought 
down  there  about  a  year  before  by  two  wicked  men, 
who  had  promised  them  well-paid  work  in  a  lovely 
country.  They  had,  however,  been  made  actual 
slaves  in  this  barren  and  doleful  place,  and  had  since 

36 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

worked  for  the  cruel  men  who  had  beguiled  them 
into  a  captivity  worse  than  the  slavery  to  which  they 
had  been  originally  destined. 

Eight  of  them  had  come  down  from  the  isthmus, 
but,  at  various  times  since,  three  of  them  had  been 
killed  by  accident,  or  shot  w,hile  trying  to  run  away. 
The  hardships  of  these  poor  fellows  were  very  great, 
and  Maka's  voice  shook  as  he  spoke  of  them.  They 
were  kept  in  the  cave  all  the  time,  except  when  they 
were  wanted  for  some  sort  of  work,  when  a  ladder 
was  put  up  by  the  side  of  the  rock,  and  such  as  were 
required  were  called  to  come  down.  Without  a  lad 
der  no  one  could  get  in  or  out  of  the  cave.  One  man 
who  had  tried  to  slip  down  at  night  fell  and  broke 
his  neck. 

The  Africans  were  employed  in  cooking  and  other 
rough  domestic  or  menial  services,  and  sometimes  all 
of  them  were  taken  down  to  the  shore  of  the  bay, 
where  they  saw  small  vessels,  and  they  were  employed 
in  carrying  goods  from  one  of  these  to  another,  and 
were  also  obliged  to  carry  provisions  and  heavy  kegs 
up  the  ravine  to  the  houses  of  the  wicked  men.  The 
one  whom  he  had  brought  with  him,  Maka  said,  had 
that  day  escaped  from  his  captors.  One  of  the  Kack- 
birds,  whom  in  some  way  the  negro  had  offended,  had 
sworn  to  kill  him  before  night,  and  feeling  sure  that 
this  threat  would  be  carried  out,  the  poor  fellow  had 
determined  to  run  away,  no  matter  what  the  conse 
quences.  He  had  chosen  the  way  by  the  ocean,  in 
order  that  he  might  jump  in  and  drown  himself  if  he 
found  that  he  was  likely  to  be  overtaken,  but  appar 
ently  his  escape  had  not  yet  been  discovered. 

Maka  was  going  on  to  tell  something  more  about 

37 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  wicked  men,  when  the  captain  interrupted  him. 
"Can  this  friend  of  yours  speak  English?"  he  asked. 

"Only  one,  two  words,"  replied  Maka. 

"Ask  him  if  he  knows  the  name  of  that  band  of 
men." 

"Yes,"  said  Maka,  presently,  "he  know,  but  he  no 
can  speak  it." 

"Are  they  called  the  Kackbirds?"  asked  Captain 
Horn. 

The  shivering  negro  had  been  listening  attentively, 
and  now  half  rose  and  nodded  his  head  violently,  and 
then  began  to  speak  rapidly  in  African. 

"Yes,"  said  Maka,  "he  says  that  is  name  they  are 
called." 

At  this  moment  Ealph  appeared  upon  the  scene, 
and  the  second  African,  whose  name  was  something 
like  Mok,  sprang  to  his  feet  as  if  he  were  about  to  flee 
for  his  life.  But  as  there  was  no  place  to  flee  to,  except 
into  the  water  or  into  the  arms  of  Kalph,  he  stood  still, 
trembling.  A  few  feet  to  the  left  the  shelf  ended  in 
a  precipitous  rock,  and  on  the  right,  as  has  been  said, 
it  gradually  descended  into  the  water,  the  space  on 
which  the  party  stood  not  being  more  than  twenty 
feet  long  and  five  or  six  feet  wide.  When  he  saw 
Kalph,  the  captain  suddenly  stopped  the  question  he 
was  about  to  ask,  and  said  in  an  undertone  to  Maka : 

"Not  a  word  to  the  boy.    I  will  tell." 

"Oh,"  cried  Ealph,  "you  do  not  know  what  a  lively 
couple  there  is  out  there.  I  found  that  my  sister  and 
Mrs.  Cliff  had  made  up  their  minds  that  they  would 
perish  in  about  two  days,  and  Mrs.  Cliff  had  been 
making  her  will  with  a  lead-pencil,  and  now  they  are 
just  as  high  up  as  they  were  low  down  before.  They 

38 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

would  not  let  me  come  to  get  tliem  some  water, 
though  I  kept  telling  them  they  never  tasted  any 
thing  like  it  in  their  whole  lives,  because  they  wanted 
to  hear  everything  about  everything.  My  sister  will 
be  wild  to  come  to  this  lake  before  long,  even  if  Mrs. 
Cliff  does  not  care  to  try  it.  And  when  you  are  ready 
to  come  to  them,  and  bring  Maka,  they  want  to  know 
who  that  other  colored  man  is,  and  how  Maka  hap 
pened  to  find  him.  I  truly  believe  their  curiosity 
goes  ahead  of  their  thirst."  And  so  saying  he  went 
down  to  the  lake  to  fill  a  pail  he  had  brought  with 
him. 

The  captain  told  Ralph  to  hurry  back  to  the  ladies, 
and  that  he  would  be  there  in  a  few  minutes.  Cap 
tain  Horn  knew  a  great  deal  about  the  Eackbirds. 
They  were  a  band  of  desperadoes,  many  of  them  out 
laws  and  criminals.  They  had  all  come  down  from 
the  isthmus,  to  which  they  had  been  attracted  by  the 
great  canal  works,  and  after  committing  various  out 
rages  and  crimes,  they  had  managed  to  get  away 
without  being  shot  or  hung.  Captain  Horn  had  fre 
quently  heard  of  them  in  the  past  year  or  two,  and  it 
was  generally  supposed  that  they  had  some  sort  of 
rendezvous  or  refuge  on  this  coast,  but  there  had  been 
no  effort  made  to  seek  them  out.  He  had  frequently 
heard  of  crimes  committed  by  then?  at  points  along 
the  coast,  which  showed  that  they  had  in  their  posses 
sion  some  sort  of  vessel.  At  one  time,  when  he  had 
stopped  at  Lima,  he  had  heard  that  there  was  talk  of 
the  government's  sending  out  a  police  or  military 
expedition  against  these  outlaws,  but  he  had  rover 
known  of  anything  of  the  sort  being  done. 

Everything  that,  from  time  to  time,  had  been  told 

39 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Captain  Horn  about  the  Rackbirds  showed  that  they 
surpassed  in  cruelty  and  utter  vileness  any  other 
bandits,  or  even  savages,  of  whom  he  had  ever  heard. 
Among  other  news,  he  had  been  told  that  the  former 
leader  of  the  band,  which  was  supposed  to  be  com 
posed  of  men  of  many  nationalities,  was  a  French 
Canadian,  who  had  been  murdered  by  his  companions 
because,  while  robbing  a  plantation  in  the  interior,— 
they  had  frequently  been  known  to  cross  the  desert 
and  the  mountains,— he  had  forborne  to  kill  an  old 
man  because  as  the  trembling  graybeard  looked  up 
at  him  he  had  reminded  him  of  his  father.  Some  of 
the  leading  demons  of  the  band  determined  that  they 
could  not  have  such  a  fool  as  this  for  their  leader, 
and  he  was  killed  while  asleep. 

Now  the  band  was  headed  by  a  Spaniard,  whose 
fiendishness  was  of  a  sufficiently  high  order  to  satisfy 
the  most  exacting  of  his  fellows.  These  and  other 
bits  of  news  about  the  Eackbirds  had  been  told  by 
one  of  the  band  who  had  escaped  to  Panama  after  the 
murder  of  the  captain,  fearing  that  his  own  talents 
for  baseness  did  not  reach  the  average  necessary  for  a 
Kackbird. 

When  he  had  made  his  landing  from  the  wreck, 
Captain  Horn  never  gave  a  thought  to  the  existence 
of  this  band  of  scoundrels.  In  fact,  he  had  supposed, 
when  he  had  thought  of  the  matter,  that  their  ren 
dezvous  must  be  far  south  of  this  point. 

But  now,  standing  on  that  shelf  of  rock,  with  his 
eyes  fixed  on  the  water  without  seeing  it,  he  knew 
that  the  abode  of  this  gang  of  wretches  was  within  a 
comparatively  short  distance  of  this  spot  in  which  he 
and  his  companions  had  taken  refuge,  and  he  knew, 

40 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

too,  that  there  was  every  reason  to  suppose  that  some 
of  them  would  soon  be  in  pursuit  of  the  negro  who 
had  run  away. 

Suddenly  another  dreadful  thought  struck  him. 
Wild  beasts,  indeed ! 

He  turned  quickly  to  Maka.  "Does  that  man  know 
anything  about  Davis  and  the  two  sailors?  Were 
they  killed  ?  "  he  asked. 

Maka  shook  his  head  and  said  that  he  had  already 
asked  his  companion  that  question,  but  Mok  had  said 
that  he  did  not  know.  All  he  knew  was  that  those 
wicked  men  killed  everybody  they  could  kill. 

The  captain  shut  his  teeth  tightly  together.  "That 
was  it,"  he  said.  "I  could  not  see  how  it  could  be 
jaguars,  although  I  could  think  of  nothing  else.  But 
these  bloodthirsty  human  beasts !  I  see  it  now." 
He  moved  toward  the  passage.  "If  that  dirty  wretch 
had  not  run  away,"  he  thought,  "we  might  have 
stayed  undiscovered  here  until  a  vessel  came.  But 
they  will  track  his  footsteps  upon  the  sand— they  are 
bound  to  do  that." 


41 


CHAPTER  VI 

THREE   WILD   BEASTS 

WHEN  the  captain  joined  the  two  ladies  and  the  boy, 
who  were  impatiently  waiting  for  him  on  the  plateau, 
he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  tell  them  the  bad  news. 
Terrible  as  was  the  necessity,  it  could  not  be  helped. 
It  was  very  hard  for  him  to  meet  those  three  radi 
ant  faces,  and  to  hear  them  talk  about  the  water  that 
had  been  discovered. 

"Now,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "I  see  no  reason  why  we 
should  not  live  here  in  peace  and  comfort  until  Mr. 
Kynders  chooses  to  come  back  for  us.  And  I  have 
been  thinking,  captain,  that  if  somebody— and  I  am 
sure  Kalph  would  be  very  good  at  it— could  catch 
some  fish,  it  would  help  out  very  much.  "We  are  get 
ting  a  little  short  of  meat,  but  as  for  the  other  things, 
we  have  enough  to  last  for  days  and  days.  But  we 
won't  talk  of  that  now.  We  want  to  hear  where  that 
other  colored  man  came  from.  Just  look  at  him  as 
he  sits  there  with  Maka  by  those  embers.  One  might 
think  he  would  shiver  himself  to  pieces.  Was  he  cast 
ashore  from  a  wreck  ?  " 

The  captain  stood  silent  for  a  moment,  and  then, 
briefly  but  plainly,  and  glossing  over  the  horrors  of 

42 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  situation  as  much  as  he  could,  he  told  them  about 
the  Kackbirds.  Not  one  of  the  little  party  inter 
rupted  the  captain's  story,  but  their  faces  grew  paler 
and  paler  as  he  proceeded. 

When  he  had  finished,  Mrs.  Cliff  burst  into  tears. 
"Captain,"  she  cried,  "let  us  take  the  boat  and  row 
away  from  this  dreadful  place.  We  should  not  lose  a 
minute.  Let  us  go  now  !  " 

But  the  captain  shook  his  head.  "That  would  not 
do,"  he  said.  "On  this  open  sea  they  could  easily  see 
us.  They  have  boats,  and  could  row  much  faster  than 
we  could." 

"Then,"  exclaimed  the  excited  woman,  "we  could 
turn  over  the  boat,  and  all  sink  to  the  bottom  to 
gether." 

To  this  the  captain  made  no  answer.  "You  must 
all  get  inside  as  quickly  as  you  can,"  he  said.  "Maka, 
you  and  that  other  fellow  carry  in  everything  that 
has  been  left  out  here.  Be  quick.  Go  up,  Kalph, 
and  take  the  flag  down,  and  then  run  in." 

When  the  others  had  entered  the  narrow  passage, 
the  captain  followed.  Fortunately,  he  had  two  guns, 
each  double-barrelled,  and  if  but  a  few  of  the  Back- 
birds  came  in  pursuit  of  the  escaped  negro,  he  might 
be  a  match  for  them  in  that  narrow  passage. 

Shortly  after  the  party  had  retired  within  the  rocks, 
Miss  Markham  came  to  the  captain,  who  was  standing 
at  the  door  of  the  first  apartment.  "Captain  Horn," 
said  she,  "Mrs.  Cliff  is  in  a  state  of  nervous  fear,  and  I 
have  been  trying  to  quiet  her.  Can  you  say  anything 
that  might  give  her  a  little  courage  I  Do  you  really 
think  there  is  any  chance  of  our  escape  from  this  new 
danger  ? " 

43 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

"Yes/'  said  the  captain,  "there  is  a  chance.  Ryn- 
ders  may  come  back  before  the  Kackbirds  discover 
us,  and  even  if  two  or  three  of  them  find  out  our 
retreat,  I  may  be  able  to  dispose  of  them,  and  thus 
give  us  a  little  more  time.  That  is  our  only  ground 
of  hope.  Those  men  are  bound  to  come  here  sooner 
or  later,  and  everything  depends  upon  the  return 
of  Kynders." 

"But,"  urged  Miss  Markham,  "perhaps  they  may 
not  come  so  far  as  this  to  look  for  the  runaway.  The 
waves  may  have  washed  out  his  footsteps  upon  the 
sand.  There  may  be  no  reason  why  they  should 
come  up  to  this  plateau." 

The  captain  smiled  a  very  sombre  smile.  "If  any 
of  them  should  come  this  way,"  he  said,  "it  is  possible 
that  they  might  not  think  it  worth  while  to  cease 
their  search  along  the  beach  and  come  up  to  this  par 
ticular  spot,  were  it  not  that  our  boat  is  down  there. 
That  is  the  same  thing  as  if  we  had  put  out  a  sign  to 
tell  them  where  we  are.  The  boat  is  hauled  up  on 
shore,  but  they  could  not  fail  to  see  it." 

"Captain,"  said  Miss  Markham,  "do  you  think  those 
Kackbirds  killed  the  three  sailors  ?  " 

"I  am  very  much  afraid  of  it,"  he  answered.  "If 
they  did,  they  must  have  known  that  these  poor  fel 
lows  were  survivors  of  a  shipwreck,  and  I  suppose 
they  stole  up  behind  them  and  shot  them  down  or 
stabbed  them.  If  that  were  so,  I  wonder  why  they 
have  not  sooner  been  this  way,  looking  for  the  wreck, 
or,  at  least,  for  other  unfortunates  who  may  have 
reached  shore.  I  suppose,  if  they  are  making  this  sort 
of  a  search,  they  went  southward.  But  all  that,  of 
course,  depends  upon  whether  they  really  saw  Davis 

44 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

and  the  two  other  men.  If  they  did  not,  they  could 
have  no  reason  for  supposing  there  were  any  ship 
wrecked  people  on  the  coast." 

"But  that  thought  is  of  no  use  to  us,"  said  Miss 
Markham,  her  eyes  upon  the  ground,  "for,  of  course, 
they  will  be  coming  after  the  black  man.  Captain," 
she  continued  quickly,  "is  there  anything  I  can  do? 
I  can  fire  a  gun." 

He  looked  at  her  for  a  moment.  "That  will  not  be 
necessary,"  he  said.  "But  there  is  something  you  can 
do.  Have  you  a  pistol  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  she,  "I  have.  I  put  it  in  my  pocket  as 
soon  as  I  came  into  the  cave.  Here  it  is." 

The  captain  took  the  pistol  from  her  hands  and  ex 
amined  it.  "  Five  chambers,"  he  said,  "  all  charged. 
Be  very  careful  of  it,"  —  handing  it  back  to  her.  "  I  will 
put  your  brother  and  Mrs.  Cliff  in  your  charge.  At 
the  slightest  hint  of  danger,  you  must  keep  together 
in  the  middle  room.  I  will  stand  between  you  and 
the  rascals  as  long  as  I  can,  but  if  I  am  killed,  you 
must  do  what  you  think  best." 

"I  will,"  said  she,  and  she  put  the  pistol  back  in 
her  pocket. 

The  captain  was  very  much  encouraged  by  the 
brave  talk  of  this  young  woman,  and  it  really  seemed 
as  if  he  now  had  some  one  to  stand  by  him,  some  one 
with  whom  he  could  even  consult. 

"I  have  carefully  examined  this  cavern,"  said  the 
captain,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "and  there  are  only 
two  ways  by  which  those  men  could  possibly  get  in. 
You  need  not  be  afraid  that  any  one  can  scramble 
down  the  walls  of  that  farthest  apartment.  That  could 
not  be  done,  though  they  might  be  able  to  fire  upon 

45 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

any  one  in  it.  But  in  the  middle  room  you  will  be 
perfectly  secure  from  gunshots.  I  shall  keep  Maka 
on  guard  a  little  back  from  the  entrance  to  the  pas 
sage.  He  will  lie  on  the  ground,  and  can  hear  foot 
steps  long  before  they  reach  us.  It  is  barely  possible 
that  some  of  them  might  enter  by  the  great  cleft  in 
the  cave  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake,  but  in  that 
case  they  would  have  to  swim  across,  and  I  shall  sta 
tion  that  new  African  on  the  ledge  of  which  you  have 
heard,  and  if  he  sees  any  of  them  coming  in  that  di 
rection,  I  know  he  will  give  very  quick  warning.  I 
hardly  think,  though,  that  they  would  trust  them 
selves  to  be  picked  off  while  swimming." 

"And  you?"  said  she. 

"Oh,  I  shall  keep  my  eyes  on  all  points,"  said  he, 
"as  far  as  I  can.  I  begin  to  feel  a  spirit  of  fight  rising 
up  within  me.  If  I  thought  I  could  keep  them  off 
until  Kynders  gets  here,  I  almost  wish  they  would 
then  come.  I  would  like  to  kill  a  lot  of  them." 

"Suppose,"  said  Edna  Markham,  after  a  moment's 
reflection,  "that  they  should  see  Mr.  Rynders  coming 
back,  and  should  attack  him." 

"I  hardly  think  they  would  do  that,"  replied  the 
captain.  "He  will  probably  come  in  a  good-sized 
vessel,  and  I  don't  think  they  are  the  kind  of  men  for 
open  battle.  They  are  midnight  sneaks  and  assassins. 
Now,  I  advise  all  of  you  to  go  and  get  something  to 
eat.  It  would  be  better  for  us  not  to  try  to  do  any 
cooking,  and  so  make  a  smoke." 

The  captain  did  not  wish  to  talk  any  more.  Miss 
Markham's  last  remark  had  put  a  new  fear  into  his 
mind.  Suppose  the  Rackbirds  had  lured  Rynders 
and  his  men  on  shore?  Those  sailors  had  but  few 

46 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

arms  among  them.  They  had  not  thought,  when  they 
left,  that  there  would  be  any  necessity  for  defence 
against  their  fellow-beings. 

When  Edna  Markharn  told  Mrs.  Cliff  what  the 
captain  had  said  about  their  chances,  and  what  he 
intended  to  do  for  their  protection,  the  older  woman 
brightened  up  a  good  deal. 

"I  have  great  faith  in  the  captain,"  she  declared, 
"and  if  he  thinks  it  is  worth  while  to  make  a  fight,  I 
believe  he  will  make  a  good  one.  If  they  should  be 
firing,  and  Mr.  Kynders  is  approaching  the  coast,  even 
if  it  should  be  night,  he  would  lose  no  time  in  getting 
to  us." 

Toward  the  close  of  that  afternoon  three  wild  beasts 
came  around  the  point  of  the  bluff  and  made  their 
way  northward  along  the  beach.  They  were  ferocious 
creatures  with  shaggy  hair  and  beards.  Two  of  them 
carried  guns,  and  each  of  them  had  a  knife  in  his  belt. 
"When  they  came  to  a  broad  bit  of  beach  above  the 
reach  of  the  waves,  they  were  very  much  surprised  at 
some  footsteps  they  saw.  They  were  the  tracks  of 
two  men,  instead  of  those  of  the  one  they  were  looking 
for.  This  discovery  made  them  very  cautious.  They 
were  eager  to  kill  the  escaped  African  before  he  got 
far  enough  away  to  give  information  of  their  retreat, 
for  they  knew  not  at  what  time  an  armed  force  in 
search  of  them  might  approach  the  coast.  But  they 
were  very  wary  about  running  into  danger.  There 
was  somebody  with  that  black  fellow— somebody  who 
wore  boots. 

After  a  time  they  came  to  the  boat.  The  minute 
they  saw  this,  each  miscreant  crouched  suddenly  upon 
the  sand,  and,  with  cocked  guns,  they  listened.  Then, 

47 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

hearing  nothing,  they  carefully  examined  the  boat. 
It  was  empty— there  were  not  even  oars  in  it. 

Looking  about  them,  they  saw  a  hollow  behind 
some  rocks.  To  this  they  ran,  crouching  close  to  the 
ground,  and  there  they  sat  and  consulted. 

It  was  between  two  and  three  o'clock  the  next 
morning  that  Maka's  eyes,  which  had  not  closed  for 
more  than  twenty  hours,  refused  to  keep  open  any 
longer,  and  with  his  head  on  the  hard,  rocky  ground 
of  the  passage  in  which  he  lay,  the  poor  African  slept 
soundly.  On  the  shelf  at  the  edge  of  the  lake,  the 
other  African,  Mok,  sat  crouched  on  his  heels,  his 
eyes  wide  open.  Whether  he  was  asleep  or  not  it 
would  have  been  difficult  to  determine,  but  if  any  one 
had  appeared  in  the  great  cleft  on  the  other  side  of 
the  lake,  he  would  have  sprung  to  his  feet  with  a  yell 
— his  fear  of  the  Rackbirds  was  always  awake. 

Inside  the  first  apartment  was  Captain  Horn,  fast 
asleep,  his  two  guns  by  his  side.  He  had  kept  watch 
until  an  hour  before,  but  Ralph  had  insisted  upon 
taking  his  turn,  and,  as  the  captain  knew  he  could  not 
keep  awake  always,  he  allowed  the  boy  to  take  a 
short  watch.  But  now  Ralph  was  leaning  back 
against  one  of  the  walls,  snoring  evenly  and  steadily. 
In  the  next  room  sat  Edna  Markhani,  wide  awake. 
She  knew  of  the  arrangement  made  with  Ralph,  and 
she  knew  the  boy's  healthy,  sleepy  nature,  so  that 
when  he  went  on  watch  she  went  on  watch. 

Outside  of  the  cave  were  three  wild  beasts.  One  of 
them  was  crouching  on  the  farther  end  of  the  pla 
teau.  Another,  on  the  lower  ground  a  little  below, 
stood,  gun  in  hand,  and  barely  visible  in  the  starlight. 
A  third,  barefooted,  and  in  garments  dingy  as  the 

48 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

night,  and  armed  only  with  a  knife,  crept  softly 
toward  the  entrance  of  the  cave.  There  he  stopped 
and  listened.  He  could  plainly  hear  the  breathing  of 
the  sleepers.  He  tried  to  separate  these  sounds  one 
from  another,  so  that  he  should  be  able  to  determine 
how  many  persons  were  sleeping  inside,  but  this  he 
could  not  do.  Then  his  cat-like  eyes,  becoming  more 
and  more  accustomed  to  the  darkness  within  the  en 
trance,  saw  the  round  head  of  Maka  close  upon  the 
ground. 

The  soul  of  the  listening  fiend  laughed  within  him. 
"Pretty  watchers  they  are,"  he  said  to  himself.  "Not 
three  hours  after  midnight,  and  they  are  all  snoring  !  " 
Then,  as  stealthily  and  as  slowly  as  he  had  come,  he 
slipped  away,  and  joining  the  others,  they  all  glided 
through  the  darkness  down  to  the  beach,  and  then  set 
off  at  their  best  speed  back  to  their  rendezvous. 

After  they  had  discovered  that  there  were  people 
in  the  cave,  they  had  not  thought  of  entering.  They 
were  not  fully  armed,  and  they  did  not  know  how 
many  persons  were  inside.  But  they  knew  one  thing, 
and  that  was  that  these  shipwrecked  people— for  that 
was  what  they  must  be— kept  a  very  poor  watch,  and 
if  the  whole  band  came  on  the  following  night,  the 
affair  would  probably  be  settled  with  but  very  little 
trouble,  no  matter  how  large  the  party  in  the  cave 
might  be.  It  was  not  necessary  to  look  any  further 
for  the  escaped  negro.  Of  course,  he  had  been  picked 
up  by  these  people. 

The  three  beasts  reached  their  camp  about  day 
break,  and  everybody  was  soon  awakened  and  the 
tale  was  told. 

"It  is  a  comfort,"  said  the  leader,  lighting  the 
49 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

stump  of  a  black  pipe  which  he  thrust  under  his  great 
mustache,  and  speaking  in  his  native  tongue,  which 
some  of  them  understood,  and  others  did  not,  "to  know 
that  to-night's  work  is  all  cut  out  for  us.  Now  we 
can  take  it  easy  to-day,  and  rest  our  bones.  The 
order  of  the  day  is  to  keep  close.  No  straggling,  nor 
wandering.  Keep  those  four  niggers  up  in  the  pigeon 
hole.  We  will  do  our  own  cooking  to-day,  for  we 
can't  afford  to  run  after  any  more  of  them.  Lucky 
the  fellow  who  got  away  can't  speak  English,  for  he 
can't  tell  anything  about  us,  any  more  than  if  he  was 
an  ape.  So  snooze  to-day,  if  you  want  to.  I  will  give 
you  work  to  do  for  to-night." 


50 


CHAPTER  VII 
GONE! 

THAT  morning,  when  the  party  in  the  cavern  had  had 
their  breakfast,  with  some  hot  tea  made  on  a  spirit- 
lamp  which  Mrs.  Cliff  had  brought,  and  had  looked 
cautiously  out  at  the  sunlit  landscape,  and  the  sea 
beyond,  without  seeing  any  signs  or  hearing  any 
sound  of  wicked  men,  there  came  a  feeling  of  relief. 
There  was,  indeed,  no  great  ground  for  such  a  feeling, 
but  as  the  Kackbirds  had  not  come  the  day  before  nor 
during  the  night,  perhaps  they  would  not  come  at  all. 
It  might  be  they  did  not  care  whether  the  black  man 
ran  away  or  not.  But  Captain  Horn  did  not  relax 
his  precautions.  He  would  take  no  chances,  and  would 
keep  up  a  watch  day  and  night. 

"When,  on  the  night  before,  the  time  had  come  for 
Ralph's  watch  to  end,  his  sister  had  awakened  him, 
and  when  the  captain,  in  his  turn,  was  aroused,  he  had 
not  known  that  it  was  not  the  boy  who  had  kept 
watch  during  his  sleep. 

In  the  course  of  the  morning  Mrs.  Cliff  and  Edna, 
having  been  filled  with  an  intense  desire  to  see  the 
wonderful  subterranean  lake,  had  been  helped  over 
the  rocky  barrier,  and  had  stood  at  the  edge  of  the 
water,  looking  over  to  where  it  was  lighted  by  the 

51 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

great  cliasm  in  the  side  of  the  rocks,  and  endeavoring 
to  peer  into  the  solemn,  cavernous  distance  into  which 
it  extended  on  the  right.  Edna  said  nothing,  but 
stood  gazing  at  the  wonderful  scene— the  dark,  mys 
terious  waters  before  her,  the  arched  cavern  above  her, 
and  the  picture  of  the  bright  sky  and  the  tops  of  the 
distant  mountains,  framed  by  the  sides  of  the  great 
opening  which  stretched  itself  upward  like  a  cathe 
dral  window  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake. 

"It  frightens  me,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff.  "To  be  sure,  this 
water  was  our  salvation,  for  we  should  have  been  dead 
by  this  time,  pirates  or  no  pirates,  if  we  had  not  found 
it.  But  it  is  terrifying,  for  all  that.  We  do  not  know 
how  far  it  stretches  out  into  the  blackness,  and  we  do 
not  know  how  far  down  it  goes.  It  may  be  thousands 
of  feet  deep,  for  all  we  know.  Don't  go  so  near  the 
edge,  Kalph.  It  makes  me  shudder." 

When  the  little  party  had  returned  to  the  cavern, 
the  captain  and  the  two  ladies  had  a  long  talk  about 
the  lake.  They  all  agreed  that  the  existence  of  this 
great  reservoir  of  water  was  sufficient  to  account  for 
the  greenness  and  fertility  of  the  little  plateau  out 
side.  Even  if  no  considerable  amount  of  water 
trickled  through  the  cracks  in  the  rocks,  the  moisture 
which  arose  from  the  surface  of  the  water  found  its 
way  out  into  the  surrounding  atmosphere,  and  had 
nourished  the  bushes  and  vines. 

For  some  time  they  discussed  their  new-found  water- 
supply,  and  they  were  all  glad  to  have  something  to 
think  about  and  talk  about  besides  the  great  danger 
which  overhung  them. 

"If  it  could  only  have  been  the  lake  without  the 
Kackbirds,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff. 

52 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Let  us  consider  that  that  is  the  state  of  the  case," 
remarked  Edna.  "We  have  the  lake,  and  so  far  we 
have  not  had  any  Eackbirds." 

It  was  now  nearly  noon,  and  the  captain  looked 
around  for  Ealph,  but  did  not  see  him.  He  went  to 
search  for  him,  and  finding  that  the  boy  had  not 
passed  Maka,  who  was  on  watch,  he  concluded  he 
must  have  gone  to  the  lake.  There  was  no  reason 
why  the  restless  youth  should  not  seek  to  enliven  his 
captivity  by  change  of  scene,  but  Captain  Horn  felt 
unwilling  to  have  any  one  in  his  charge  out  of  sight 
for  any  length  of  time,  so  he  went  to  look  for  Ealph. 

He  found  no  one  on  the  rocky  shelf.  As  there  had 
been  little  reason  to  expect  a  water  attack  at  this 
hour,  Mok  had  been  relieved  from  guard  for  a  meal 
and  a  nap.  But  as  Ealph  was  not  here,  where  could 
he  be?  A  second  glance,  however,  showed  the  cap 
tain  the  boy's  clothes  lying  close  by,  against  the  up 
right  side  of  the  rock,  and  at  that  moment  he  heard 
a  cry.  His  eyes  flashed  out  toward  the  sound. 
There  on  the  other  side  of  the  water,  sitting  on  a  bit 
of  projecting  rock  not  far  from  the  great  opening  in 
the  cave,  he  saw  Ealph.  At  first  the  captain  stood 
dumb  with  amazement,  and  he  was  just  about  to  call 
out,  when  Ealph  shouted  again. 

"I  swam  over,"  he  said,  "but  I  can't  get  back.  I've 
got  the  cramps.  Can't  you  make  some  sort  of  a  raft, 
and  come  over  to  me?  The  water's  awfully  cold." 

Eaft,  indeed !  There  was  no  material  or  time  for 
anything  of  the  kind.  If  the  boy  dropped  off  that 
bit  of  rock,  he  would  be  drowned,  and  the  captain  did 
not  hesitate  a  moment.  Throwing  aside  his  jacket 
and  slipping  off  his  shoes,  he  let  himself  down  into 

53 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  water  and  struck  out  in  Ealph's  direction.  The 
water  was,  indeed,  very  cold,  but  the  captain  was  a 
strong  swimmer,  and  it  would  not  take  him  very  long 
to  cross  the  lake  at  this  point,  where  its  width  was 
not  much  more  than  a  hundred  feet.  As  he  neared 
the  other  side  he  did  not  make  immediately  for  Ralph. 
He  thought  it  would  be  wise  to  rest  a  little  before  at 
tempting  to  take  the  boy  back,  and  so  he  made  for 
another  point  of  rock,  a  little  nearer  the  opening, 
urging  the  boy,  as  he  neared  him,  to  sit  firmly  and 
keep  up  a  good  heart. 

"All  right,"  said  Kalph.  "I  see  what  you  are  after. 
That  is  a  better  place  than  this,  and  if  you  land  there 
I  think  I  can  scramble  over  to  you." 

"Don't  move,"  said  the  captain.  "Sit  where  you  are 
until  I  tell  you  what  to  do." 

The  captain  had  not  made  more  than  two  or  three 
strokes  after  speaking  when  his  right  hand  struck 
against  something  hard,  just  below  the  surface  of  the 
water.  He  involuntarily  grasped  it.  It  was  immov 
able,  and  it  felt  like  a  tree,  a  few  inches  in  diameter, 
standing  perpendicularly  in  the  lake.  Wondering 
what  this  could  be,  he  took  hold  of  it  with  his  other 
hand,  and  finding  that  it  supported  him,  he  let  his 
feet  drop,  when,  to  his  surprise,  he  found  that  they 
rested  on  something  with  a  rounded  surface,  and  the 
idea  instantly  came  into  his  mind  that  it  was  a  sub 
merged  tree,  the  trunk  lying  horizontally,  from  which 
this  upright  branch  projected.  This  might  be  as  good 
a  resting-place  as  the  rock  to  which  he  had  been 
going,  and  standing  on  it,  with  his  head  well  out  of 
the  water,  he  turned  to  speak  to  Ralph.  At  that 
moment  his  feet  slipped  from  the  slimy  object  on 

54 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

which  he  stood,  and  he  fell  backward  into  the  water, 
still  grasping,  however,  his  upright  support.  But  this 
did  not  remain  upright  more  than  an  instant,  but 
yielded  to  his  weight,  and  the  end  of  it  which  he  held 
went  down  with  him.  As  he  sank,  the  captain,  in  his 
first  bewilderment,  did  not  loosen  his  grasp  upon 
what  had  been  his  support,  and  which  still  prevented 
him  from  sinking  rapidly.  But  in  a  moment  his 
senses  came  to  him,  he  let  go,  and  a  few  downward 
strokes  brought  him  to  the  surface  of  the  water. 
Then  he  struck  out  for  the  point  of  rock  for  which 
he  had  been  aiming,  and  he  was  soon  mounted  upon  it. 

"Hi ! "  shouted  Ralph,  who  had  been  so  frightened 
by  the  captain's  sudden  sinking  that  he  nearly  fell  off 
his  narrow  seat,  "I  thought  something  had  pulled  you 
down." 

The  captain  did  not  explain.  He  was  spluttering 
a  little  after  his  involuntary  dive,  and  he  wanted  to 
get  back  as  soon  as  possible,  and  so  wasted  no  breath 
in  words.  In  a  few  minutes  he  felt  himself  ready  for 
the  return  trip,  and  getting  into  the  water,  he  swam 
to  Ralph.  Following  the  directions  given  him,  the 
boy  let  himself  down  into  the  water  behind  the  cap 
tain,  and  placed  his  hands  upon  the  latter's  hips,  firmly 
grasping  the  waistband  of  his  trousers.  Then  urging 
the  boy  not  to  change  his  position,  nor  attempt  to  take 
hold  of  him  in  any  other  way,  the  captain  struck  out 
across  the  lake,  Ralph  easily  floating  behind  him. 

When  they  stood  upon  the  shelf  on  the  other  side, 
and  Ralph,  having  rubbed  himself  down  with  the 
captain's  jacket,  put  on  his  clothes,  Captain  Horn 
rather  sternly  inquired  of  him  how  he  came  to  do 
such  a  foolish  and  wicked  thing  as  to  run  the  risk  of 

55 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

drowning  himself  in  the  lake  at  a  time  when  his  sister 
and  his  friends  had  already  trouble  enough  on  their 
minds. 

Ralph  was  sorry,  of  course,  that  the  captain  had  to 
come  after  him,  and  get  himself  wet,  but  he  explained 
that  he  wanted  to  do  something  for  the  good  of  the 
party,  and  it  had  struck  him  that  it  would  be  a  very 
sensible  thing  to  investigate  the  opening  on  the  other 
side  of  the  lake.  If  he  could  get  out  of  that  great 
gap,  he  might  find  some  way  of  climbing  out  over  the 
top  of  the  rocks  and  get  to  the  place  where  his  flag 
was,  and  then,  if  he  saw  Mr.  Eynders  coming,  he  could 
wave  it.  It  would  be  a  great  thing  if  the  people  in 
the  vessel  which  they  all  expected  should  see  that  flag 
the  moment  they  came  in  sight  of  the  coast.  They 
might  get  to  shore  an  hour  or  two  sooner  than  if  they 
had  not  seen  it. 

"If  the  cramp  in  this  leg  had  kept  off  five  minutes 
longer,"  he  said,  "I  would  have  reached  that  big  hole, 
and  then,  if  I  could  have  climbed  over  the  top  of  the 
rocks,  I  could  have  come  down  on  the  other  side  to 
the  front  door,  and  asked  Maka  to  get  me  my  clothes, 
so  I  would  not  have  had  to  swim  back  at  all." 

"That  will  do,"  said  the  captain.  "And  now  that 
you  are  dressed,'  you  can  go  inside  and  get  me  that 
woollen  shirt  and  trousers  that  I  use  for  a  pillow,  for 
I  must  take  off  these  wet  things." 

When  the  boy  came  back  with  the  clothes,  the  cap 
tain  told  him  that  he  need  not  say  anything  to  his 
sister  or  Mrs.  Cliff  about  the  great  danger  he  had  been 
in,  but  before  he  had  finished  his  injunction  Ralph 
interrupted  him. 

"Oh,  I  have  told  them  that  already,"  said  he.   "They 

56 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

wanted  to  know  where  I  had  been,  and  it  did  not 
take  a  minute  to  tell  them  what  a  splendid  swimmer 
you  are,  and  how  you  came  over  after  me  without 
taking  as  much  as  two  seconds  to  think  about  it.  And 
I  let  them  know,  too,  that  it  was  a  mighty  dangerous 
thing  for  you  to  do.  If  I  had  been  one  of  those  fel 
lows  who  were  not  used  to  the  water,  and  who  would 
grab  hold  of  any  one  who  came  to  save  them,  we 
might  both  have  gone  to  the  bottom  together." 

The  captain  smiled  grimly.  "It  is  hard  to  get 
ahead  of  a  boy,"  he  said  to  himself. 

It  was  late  that  afternoon  when  Captain  Horn, 
with  Ealph  and  the  two  ladies,  were  standing  on  the 
rocks  in  the  inner  apartment,  trying  to  persuade 
themselves  that  they  were  having  a  cosey  cup  of  tea 
together,  when  suddenly  a  scrambling  sound  of  foot 
steps  was  heard,  and  Maka  dashed  through  the  two 
adjoining  apartments  and  appeared  before  them.  In 
stantly  the  captain  was  on  his  feet,  his  gun,  which 
had  been  lying  beside  him,  in  his  hand.  Up  sprang 
the  others,  mute,  with  surprise  and  fear  on  their  faces. 
Maka,  who  was  in  a  state  of  great  excitement,  and 
seemed  unable  to  speak,  gasped  out  the  one  word, 
"Gone ! » 

"What  do  you  mean? "  cried  the  captain. 

Maka  ran  back  toward  the  passage,  and  pointed  in 
ward.  Instantly  the  captain  conjectured  what  he 
meant.  Mok,  the  second  African,  had  been  stationed 
to  watch  the  lake  approach,  and  he  had  deserted ! 
Now  the  hot  thought  flashed  upon  the  captain  that 
the  rascal  had  been  a  spy.  The  Kackbirds  had  known 
that  there  were  shipwrecked  people  in  these  caves. 
How  could  they  help  knowing  it,  if  they  had  killed 

57 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

Davis  and  the  others  ?  But,  cowardly  hounds  as  they 
were,  they  had  been  afraid  to  attack  the  place  until 
they  knew  how  many  people  were  in  it,  what  arms 
they  had,  and  in  what  way  the  place  could  best  be 
assailed.  This  Mok  had  found  out  everything.  If  the 
boy  could  swim  across  the  lake,  that  black  man  could 
do  it,  and  he  had  gone  out  through  the  cleft,  and  was 
probably  now  making  his  report  to  the  gang. 

All  this  flashed  through  the  captain's  brain  in  a  few 
seconds.  He  set  his  teeth  together.  He  was  ashamed 
that  he  had  allowed  himself  to  be  so  tricked.  That 
African,  probably  one  of  the  gang,  and  able  to  speak 
English,  should  have  been  kept  a  prisoner.  What  a 
fool  he  had  been  to  treat  the  black-hearted  and  black- 
bodied  wretch  as  one  of  themselves,  and  actually  to 
put  him  on  guard  ! 

Of  course,  it  was  of  no  use  to  go  to  look  for  him,  and 
the  captain  had  put  down  his  gun,  and  was  just  about 
to  turn  to  speak  to  the  others,  when  Maka  seized  him 
by  the  coat.  The  negro  seemed  wildly  excited  and 
still  unable  to  speak.  But  it  was  plain  that  he  wanted 
the  captain  to  follow  him  along  the  passage.  There 
was  no  use  in  asking  questions,  and  the  captain  followed, 
and  behind  him  came  Kalph,  Edna,  and  Mrs.  Cliff. 

Maka  was  about  to  climb  over  the  rocky  partition 
which  divided  the  passage,  but  the  captain  stopped 
him.  "Stay  here,"  said  he,  "and  watch  the  passage. 
I  will  see  what  is  the  matter  over  there."  And  then 
he  and  Kalph  jumped  over  and  hurried  to  the  lake. 
As  they  came  out  on  the  little  platform  of  rock,  on 
which  the  evening  light,  coming  through  the  great 
cleft,  still  rendered  objects  visible,  they  saw  Mok 
crouching  on  his  heels,  his  eyes  wide  open  as  usuaL 

58 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

The  captain  was  stupefied.  That  African  not  gone  ! 
If  it  were  not  he,  who  had  gone  ? 

Then  the  captain  felt  a  tight  clutch  upon  his  arm, 
and  Kalph  pulled  him  around.  Casting  eyes  outward, 
the  captain  saw  that  it  was  the  lake  that  had  gone  ! 

As  he  and  Kalph  stood  there,  stupefied  and  staring, 
they  saw,  by  the  dim  light  which  came  through  the 
opening  on  the  other  side  of  the  cavern,  a  great  empty 
rocky  basin.  The  bottom  of  this,  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  below  them,  wet  and  shining,  with  pools 
of  water  here  and  there,  was  plainly  visible  in  the 
space  between  them  and  the  open  cleft,  but  farther 
on  all  was  dark.  There  was  every  reason  to  suppose, 
however,  that  all  the  water  had  gone  from  the  lake. 
Why  or  how  this  had  happened,  they  did  not  even  ask 
themselves.  They  simply  stood  and  stared. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  were  joined  by  Edna,  who 
had  become  so  anxious  at  their  absence  and  silence 
that  she  had  clambered  over  the  wall,  and  came  run 
ning  to  them.  By  the  time  she  reached  them  it  was 
much  darker  than  when  they  had  arrived,  but  she 
could  see  that  the  lake  had  gone.  That  was  enough. 

"What  do  you  suppose  it  means?"  she  said  pres 
ently.  "Are  we  over  some  awful  subterranean  cavern 
in  which  things  sink  out  of  sight  in  an  instant?" 

"It  is  absolutely  unaccountable,"  said  the  captain. 
"But  we  must  go  back  to  Mrs.  Cliff.  I  hear  her  call 
ing.  And  if  Maka  has  come  to  his  senses,  perhaps  he 
can  tell  us  something." 

But  Maka  had  very  little  to  tell.  To  the  captain's 
questions  he  could  only  say  that  a  little  while  before, 
Mok  had  come  running  to  him,  and  told  him  that,  being 
thirsty,  he  had  gone  down  to  the  edge  of  the  lake  to 

59 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

get  a  drink,  and  found  that  there  was  no  water,  only 
a  great  hole,  and  then  he  had  run  to  tell  Maka,  and 
when  Maka  had  gone  back  with  him,  so  greatly  sur 
prised  that  he  had  deserted  his  post  without  thinking 
about  it,  he  found  that  what  Mok  had  said  was  true, 
and  that  there  was  nothing  there  but  a  great  black 
hole.  Mok  must  have  been  asleep  when  the  water 
went  away,  but  it  was  gone,  and  that  was  all  he  knew 
about  it. 

There  was  something  so  weird  and  mysterious  about 
this  absolute  and  sudden  disappearance  of  this  great 
body  of  water  that  Mrs.  Cliff  became  very  nervous 
and  frightened. 

"This  is  a  temple  of  the  devil,"  she  said,  "and  that 
is  his  face  outside.  You  do  not  know  what  may 
happen  next.  This  rocky  floor  on  which  we  stand 
may  give  way,  and  we  may  all  go  down  into  unknown 
depths.  I  can't  think  of  staying  here  another  minute. 
It  is  dark  now.  Let  us  slip  away  down  to  the  beach, 
and  take  the  boat,  and  row  away  from  this  horrible 
region  where  human  devils  and  every  other  kind  seem 
to  own  the  country." 

"Oh,  no,"  said  the  captain,  "we  can't  consider  such 
wild  schemes  as  that.  I  have  been  thinking  that 
perhaps  there  may  be  some  sort  of  a  tide  in  this  lake, 
and  in  the  morning  we  may  find  the  water  just  as  it 
was.  And,  at  any  rate,  it  has  not  entirely  deserted  us, 
for  in  these  pools  at  the  bottom  we  can  find  water 
enough  for  us  to  drink." 

"I  suppose  I  would  not  mind  such  things  so  much," 
said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "if  they  happened  out  of  doors.  But 
being  shut  up  in  this  cave  with  magical  lakes,  and 
expecting  every  minute  to  see  a  lot  of  bloodthirsty 

60 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

pirates  bursting  in  upon  us,  is  enough  to  shake  the 
nerves  of  anybody." 

"Captain,"  said  Kalph,  "I  suppose  you  will  not 
now  object  to  letting  me  go  in  the  morning  to  ex 
plore  that  opening.  I  can  walk  across  the  bottom  of 
the  lake  without  any  danger,  you  know." 

"Don't  you  try  to  do  anything  of  the  kind,"  said 
the  captain,  "without  my  permission." 

"No,  indeed  !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff.  "Supposing  the 
water  were  to  suddenly  rise  just  as  you  were  half-way 
across.  Xow  that  I  think  of  it,  there  are  springs  and 
bodies  of  water  which  rise  and  fall  this  way,  some  of 
them  in  our  own  Western  country,  but  none  of  them 
are  as  large  as  this.  What  if  it  should  rise  in  the  night 
and  flood  the  cave  while  we  are  asleep  ?  " 

"Why,  dear  Mrs.  Cliff,"  said  Edna,  "I  am  not  afraid 
of  the  water's  rising  or  of  the  earth's  sinking.  Don't 
let  us  frighten  ourselves  with  imaginations  like  that. 
Perhaps  there  may  not  even  be  any  real  thing  to 
be  afraid  of,  but  if  there  should  be,  let  us  keep  courage 
for  that." 

The  disappearance  of  the  lake  gave  the  captain  an 
uneasiness  of  which  the  others  had  not  thought.  He 
saw  it  would  be  comparatively  easy  for  the  Kackbirds 
to  gain  access  to  the  place  through  the  cleft  in  the 
eastern  wall  of  the  lake  cavern.  If  they  should  dis 
cover  that  aperture,  the  cavern  might  be  attacked 
from  the  rear  and  the  front  at  the  same  time,  and 
then  the  captain  feared  his  guns  would  not  much 
avail. 

Of  course,  during  the  darkness  which  would  soon 
prevail  there  was  no  reason  to  expect  a  rear  attack, 
and  the  captain  satisfied  himself  with  leaving  Mok  at 

61 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

his  former  post,  with  instructions  to  give  the  alarm 
if  he  heard  the  slightest  sound,  and  put  Maka,  as  be 
fore,  in  the  outer  passage.  As  for  himself,  he  took 
an  early  nap  in  the  evening,  because  at  the  very  first 
break  of  dawn  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to  be  on 
the  alert. 

He  did  not  know  how  much  he  had  depended  upon 
the  lake  as  a  barrier  of  defence,  but  now  that  it  had 
gone,  he  felt  that  the  dangers  which  threatened  them 
from  the  Eackbirds  were  doubled. 


62 


CHAPTEK 

THE  ALARM 

IT  was  still  dark  when  the  captain  woke,  and  he 
struck  a  match  to  look  at  his  watch.  It  was  three 
o'clock. 

"Is  that  you,  captain?"  said  a  voice  from  the  next 
room.  "Is  it  time  for  you  to  begin  watch  again?  " 

"Yes,"  said  the  captain,  "it  is  about  time.  How 
do  you  happen  to  be  awake,  Miss  Markham  ?  Kalph ! 
I  believe  the  boy  is  snoring." 

"Of  course  he  is,"  said  Edna,  speaking  in  a  low 
voice.  "We  cannot  expect  such  a  boy  to  keep 
awake,  and  so  I  have  been  on  watch.  It  was  easy 
enough  for  me  to  keep  my  eyes  open." 

"It  is  too  bad,"  said  the  captain,  and  then,  listening 
for  a  moment,  he  said  :  "I  truly  believe  that  Maka  is 
snoring,  too,  and  as  for  that  black  fellow  over  there,  I 
suspect  that  he  sleeps  all  the  time.  Miss  Markham, 
you  have  been  the  only  person  awake." 

"Why  shouldn't  I  be?"  said  she.  "I  am  sure  that 
a  woman  is  just  as  good  as  a  man  for  keeping  watch." 

"If  they  should  come,"  thought  the  captain,  as  he 
again  sat  in  the  dark,  "I  must  not  try  to  fight  them 
in  the  passage.  That  would  have  been  my  best 

63 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

chance,  but  now  some  of  them  might  pick  me  off  from 
behind.  No,  I  must  fight  them  in  this  chamber.  I 
can  put  everybody  else  in  the  middle  apartment. 
Perhaps  before  to-morrow  night  it  might  be  well  to 
bring  some  of  those  loose  rocks  here  and  build  a  bar 
ricade.  I  wish  I  had  thought  of  that  before." 

The  captain  sat  and  listened  and  thought.  His 
listening  brought  him  no  return,  and  his  thinking 
brought  him  too  much.  The  most  mournful  ideas  of 
what  might  happen  if  more  than  two  or  three  of  the 
desperadoes  attacked  the  place  crowded  into  his 
mind.  If  they  came,  they  came  to  rob,  and  they 
were  men  who  left  behind  them  no  living  witnesses 
of  their  whereabouts  or  their  crimes.  And  if  two  or 
three  should  come,  and  be  repulsed,  it  would  not  be 
long  before  the  rest  would  arrive.  In  fact,  the  only 
real  hope  they  had  was  founded  on  the  early  return 
of  Kynders— that  is,  if  Eynders  and  his  men  were 
living. 

The  captain  waited  and  listened,  but  nothing  came 
but  daylight.  As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  discern  ob 
jects  outside  the  opening  on  the  plateau,  he  awoke 
Maka,  and,  leaving  him  on  guard,  he  made  his  way 
to  the  lake  cavern. 

Here  the  light  was  beginning  to  come  freely 
through  the  chasm  which  faced  nearly  east.  Mok 
was  sitting  with  his  eyes  open,  and  showed  that  he 
was  alive  by  a  little  grunt  when  the  captain  ap 
proached.  If  there  were  such  a  thing  here  as  a  sub 
terranean  tide,  it  had  not  risen.  There  was  no  water 
where  the  lake  had  been. 

Gazing  across  the  empty  basin,  the  captain  felt  a 
strong  desire  to  go  over,  climb  up  to  the  opening, 

64 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

and  discover  whether  or  not  the  cavern  was  accessible 
on  that  side.  It  would  be  very  important  for  him  to 
know  this,  and  it  would  not  take  long  for  him  to 
make  an  investigation.  One  side  of  the  rocky  shelf 
which  has  been  before  mentioned  sloped  down  to  the 
lake,  and  the  captain  was  just  about  to  descend  this 
when  he  heard  a  cry  from  the  passage,  and,  at  the 
same  moment,  a  shout  from  Mok  which  seemed  to  be 
in  answer  to  it.  Instantly  the  captain  turned  and 
dashed  into  the  passage,  and,  leaping  over  the  barrier, 
found  Maka  standing  near  the  entrance. 

As  soon  as  the  negro  saw  him,  he  began  to  beckon 
wildly  for  him  to  come  on.  But  there  was  no  need 
now  of  keeping  quiet  and  beckoning.  The  first  shout 
had  aroused  everybody  inside,  and  the  two  ladies  and 
Kalph  were  already  in  the  passage.  The  captain, 
however,  made  them  keep  back,  while  he  and  Maka, 
on  their  hands  and  knees,  crawled  toward  the  outer 
opening.  From  this  point  one  could  see  over  the 
plateau,  and  the  uneven  ground  beyond,  down  to  the 
beach  and  the  sea ;  but  there  was  still  so  little  light 
upon  this  western  slope  that  at  first  the  captain  could 
not  see  anything  noticeable  in  the  direction  in  which 
Maka  was  pointing.  But  in  a  few  moments  his  mariner 
eyes  asserted  themselves,  and  he  saw  some  black  spots 
on  the  strip  of  beach,  which  seemed  to  move.  Then 
he  knew  they  were  moving,  and  moving  toward  him 
—coming  up  to  the  cave  !  They  were  men  ! 

"Sit  here,"  said  the  captain  to  Maka,  and  then,  with 
his  gun  in  his  hand,  he  rushed  back  to  the  rest  of  the 
party. 

"They  seem  to  be  coming/'  said  he,  speaking  as 
calmly  as  he  could,  "but  we  have  discovered  them  in 

65 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

good  time,  and  I  shall  have  some  shots  at  them  be 
fore  they  reach  here.  Let  us  hope  that  they  will 
never  get  here  at  all.  You  two,"  said  he  to  Mrs.  Cliff 
and  Kalph,  "are  to  be  under  command  of  Miss  Mark- 
ham.  You  must  do  exactly  what  she  tells  you  to." 
Then,  turning  to  Edna,  he  said,  "You  have  your  pistol 
ready?" 

"Yes,"  said  she,  "I  am  ready." 

Without  another  word,  the  captain  took  his  other 
gun  and  all  his  ammunition,  and  went  back  into  the 
passage.  Here  he  found  Mok,  who  had  come  to  see 
what  was  the  matter.  Motioning  the  negro  to  go 
back  to  his  post,  the  captain,  with  his  loaded  guns, 
went  again  to  the  entrance.  Looking  out,  he  could 
now  plainly  see  the  men.  There  were  four  of  them. 
It  was  lighter  down  toward  the  sea,  for  the  rocks 
still  threw  a  heavy  shadow  over  the  plateau.  The 
sight  sent  a  thrill  of  brave  excitement  through  the 
captain. 

"If  they  come  in  squads  of  four,"  thought  he,  "I 
may  be  a  match  for  them.  They  can't  see  me,  and  I 
can  see  them.  If  I  could  trust  Maka  to  load  a  gun, 
I  would  have  a  better  chance,  but  if  I  could  pick  off 
two,  or  even  one,  that  might  stop  the  others  and  give 
me  time  to  reload.  Come  on,  you  black-hearted  scoun 
drels,"  he  muttered  through  his  teeth,  as  he  knelt 
outside  the  cave,  one  gun  partly  raised,  and  the  other 
on  the  ground  beside  him.  "If  I  could  only  know 
that  none  of  your  band  could  come  in  at  that  hole  in 
the  back  of  the  cave,  I'd  call  the  odds  even." 

The  dawn  grew  brighter,  and  the  four  men  drew 
nearer.  They  came  slowly,  one  considerably  ahead 
of  the  others.  Two  or  three  times  they  stopped  and 

66 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

appeared  to  be  consulting,  and  then  again  moved 
slowly  forward  straight  toward  the  plateau. 

When  the  leading  man  was  nearly  within  gunshot, 
the  captain's  face  began  to  burn,  and  his  pulses  to 
throb  hard  and  fast. 

"The  sooner  I  pick  off  the  head  one,"  he  thought, 
"the  better  chance  I  have  at  the  others." 

He  brought  his  gun  to  his  shoulder,  and  was  slowly 
lowering  the  barrel  to  the  line  of  aim,  when  suddenly 
something  like  a  great  black  beast  rushed  past  him, 
pushing  up  his  arm  and  nearly  toppling  him  over. 
It  came  from  the  cave,  and  in  a  second  it  was  out  on 
the  plateau.  Then  it  gave  a  leap  upward,  and  rushed 
down  toward  the  sea.  Utterly  astounded,  the  captain 
steadied  himself  and  turned  to  Maka. 

"What  was  that?"  he. exclaimed. 

The  African  was  on  his  feet,  his  body  bent  forward, 
his  eyes  peering  out  into  the  distance. 

"Mok  ! "  said  he.     "Look  !     Look  ! " 

It  was  Mok  who  had  rushed  out  of  the  cave.  He 
was  running  toward  the  four  men.  He  reached  them, 
he  threw  up  his  arms,  he  sprang  upon  the  first  man. 
Then  he  left  him,  and  jumped  upon  the  others.  Then 
Maka  gave  a  little  cry  and  sprang  forward,  but  in  the 
same  instant  the  captain  seized  him. 

"Stop  ! "  he  cried.     "What  is  it?  " 

The  African  shouted  :  "Mok's  people  !  Mok  knowed 
them.  Look  !  Look— see  !  Mok  ! " 

The  party  was  now  near  enough  and  the  day  was 
bright  enough  for  the  captain  to  see  that  on  the  lower 
ground  beyond  the  plateau  there  were  five  black  men 
in  a  state  of  mad  excitement.  He  could  hear  them 
jabbering  away  at  a  great  rate.  So  far  as  he  could 

67 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

discover,  they  were  all  unarmed,  and  as  they  stood 
there  gesticulating,  the  captain  might  have  shot  them 
down  in  a  bunch,  if  he  had  chosen. 

"Go,"  said  he  to  Maka,  "go  down  there  and  see 
what  it  all  means." 

The  captain  now  stepped  back  into  the  passage. 
He  could  see  Miss  Markham  and  Ralph  peering  out 
of  the  doorway  of  the  first  compartment. 

"There  does  not  seem  to  be  any  danger  so  far,"  said 
he.  "Some  more  Africans  have  turned  up.  Maka  has 
gone  to  meet  them.  We  shall  find  out  about  them  in 
a  few  minutes,"  and  he  turned  back  to  the  entrance. 

He  saw  that  the  six  black  fellows  were  coming  toward 
him,  and,  as  he  had  thought,  they  carried  no  guns. 


CHAPTER  IX 

AN  AMAZING  NARRATION 

WHEN  the  captain  had  gone  out  again  into  the  open 
air,  he  was  followed  by  the  rest  of  the  party,  for,  if 
there  were  no  danger,  they  all  wanted  to  see  what 
was  to  be  seen.  What  they  saw  was  a  party  of  six 
black  men  on  the  plateau,  Maka  in  the  lead.  There 
could  be  no  doubt  that  the  newcomers  were  the  re 
mainder  of  the  party  of  Africans  who  had  been  en 
slaved  by  the  Eackbirds,  and  the  desire  of  the  captain 
and  his  companions  to  know  how  they  had  got  away, 
and  what  news  they  brought,  was  most  intense. 

Maka  now  hurried  forward,  leading  one  of  the 
strangers.  "Great  things  they  tell,"  said  he.  "This 
Cheditafa.  He  speak  English  good  as  me.  He  tell 
you." 

"The  first  thing  I  want,"  cried  the  captain,  "is  some 
news  of  those  Eackbirds.  Have  they  found  we  are 
here  f  Will  they  be  coming  after  these  men,  or  have 
they  gone  off  somewhere  else  ?  Tell  me  this,  and  be 
quick." 

"Oh,  yes,"  cried  Maka,  "they  found  out  we  here. 
But  Cheditafa  tell  you— he  tell  you  everything.  Great 
things ! " 

69 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Very  well,  then,"  said  the  captain.  "Let  him  begin 
and  be  quick  about  it." 

The  appearance  of  Cheditafa  was  quite  as  miserable 
as  that  of  poor  Mok,  but  his  countenance  was  much 
more  intelligent,  and  his  English,  although  very  much 
broken,  was  better  even  than  Maka's,  and  he  was  able 
to  make  himself  perfectly  understood.  He  spoke 
briefly,  and  this  is  the  substance  of  his  story : 

About  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  of  the  day  before, 
a  wonderful  thing  happened.  The  Rackbirds  had  had 
their  dinner,  which  they  had  cooked  themselves,  and 
they  were  all  lying  down  in  their  huts  or  in  the 
shadows  of  the  rocks,  either  asleep,  or  smoking  and 
telling  stories.  Cheditafa  knew  why  they  were  rest 
ing.  The  Rackbirds  had  no  idea  that  he  understood 
English,  for  he  had  been  careful  to  keep  this  fact  from 
them  after  he  found  out  what  sort  of  men  they  were, 
— and  this  knowledge  had  come  very  soon  to  him,— 
and  they  spoke  freely  before  him.  He  had  heard 
some  of  the  men  who  had  been  out  looking  for  Mok; 
and  who  had  come  back  early  that  morning,  tell  about 
some  shipwrecked  people  in  a  cave  up  the  coast,  and 
had  heard  all  the  plans  which  had  been  made  for  the 
attack  upon  them  during  the  night.  He  also  knew 
why  he  and  his  fellows  had  been  cooped  up  in  the 
cave  in  the  rock  in  which  they  lived,  all  that  day, 
and  had  not  been  allowed  to  come  down  and  do  any 
work. 

They  were  lying  huddled  in  their  little  cave,  feeling 
very  hungry  and  miserable,  and  whispering  together, 
— for  if  they  spoke  out  or  made  any  noise,  one  of  the 
men  below  would  be  likely  to  fire  a  load  of  shot  at 
them,— when  suddenly  a  strange  thing  happened. 

70 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

They  heard  a  great  roar  like  a  thousand  bulls,  which 
came  from  the  higher  part  of  the  ravine,  and  peeping 
out,  they  saw  what  seemed  like  a  wall  of  rock  stretch 
ing  across  the  little  valley.  But  in  a  second  they  saw 
it  was  not  rock— it  was  water,  and  before  they  could 
take  two  breaths  it  had  reached  them.  Then  it  passed 
on,  and  they  saw  only  the  surface  of  a  furious  and  rag 
ing  stream,  the  waves  curling  and  dashing  over  each 
other,  and  reaching  almost  up  to  the  floor  of  their  cave. 

They  were  so  frightened  that  they  pressed  back  as 
far  as  they  could  get,  and  even  tried  to  climb  up  the 
sides  of  the  rocky  cavity,  so  fearful  were  they  that 
the  water  would  dash  in  upon  them.  But  the  raging 
flood  roared  and  surged  outside,  and  none  of  it  came 
into  their  cave.  Then  the  sound  of  it  became  not  quite 
so  loud,  and  grew  less  and  less.  But  still  Cheditafa 
and  his  companions  were  so  frightened  and  so  startled 
by  this  awful  thing,  happening  so  suddenly,  as  if  it  had 
been  magic,  that  it  was  some  time— he  did  not  know 
how  long— before  they  lifted  their  faces  from  the  rocks 
against  which  they  were  pressing  them. 

Then  Cheditafa  crept  forward  and  looked  out.  The 
great  waves  and  the  roaring  water  were  gone.  There 
was  no  water  to  be  seen,  except  the  brook  which  always 
ran  at  the  bottom  of  the  ravine,  and  which  now  seemed 
not  very  much  bigger  than  it  had  been  that  morning. 

But  the  little  brook  was  all  there  was  in  the  ravine, 
except  the  bare  rocks,  wet  and  glistening.  There 
were  no  huts,  no  Rackbirds,  nothing.  Even  the  vines 
and  bushes  which  had  been  growing  up  the  sides  of 
the  stream  were  all  gone.  Not  a  weed,  not  a  stick, 
not  a  clod  of  earth,  was  left— nothing  but  a  great, 
rocky  ravine,  washed  bare  and  clean. 

71 


Edna  Markham  stepped  suddenly  forward  and  seized 
the  captain  by  the  arm.  "It  was  the  lake,"  she  cried. 
"The  lake  swept  down  that  ravine  ! " 

"Yes/'  said  the  captain,  "it  must  have  been.  But 
listen— let  us  hear  more.  Go  on,"  he  said  to  Cheditafa, 
who  proceeded  to  tell  how  he  and  his  companions 
looked  out  for  a  long  time,  but  they  saw  nor  heard 
nothing  of  any  living  creature.  It  would  be  easy 
enough  for  anybody  to  come  back  up  the  ravine,  but 
nobody  came. 

They  had  now  grown  so  hungry  that  they  could 
have  almost  eaten  each  other.  They  felt  they  must 
get  out  of  the  cave  and  go  to  look  for  food.  It  would 
be  better  to  be  shot  than  to  sit  there  and  starve. 

Then  they  devised  a  plan  by  which  they  could  get 
down.  The  smallest  man  got  out  of  the  cave  and  let 
himself  hang,  holding  to  the  outer  edge  of  the  floor 
with  his  hands.  Then  another  man  put  his  feet  over 
the  edge  of  the  rock,  and  let  the  hanging  man  take 
hold  of  them.  The  other  two  each  seized  an  arm  of 
the  second  man,  and  lowered  the  two  down  as  far  as 
they  could  reach.  When  they  had  done  this,  the  bot 
tom  man  dropped,  and  did  not  hurt  himself.  Then 
they  had  to  pull  up  the  second  man,  for  the  fall 
would  have  been  too  great  for  him. 

After  that  they  had  to  wait  a  long  time,  while  the 
man  who  had  got  out  went  to  look  for  something  by 
which  the  others  could  help  themselves  down — the 
ladder  they  had  used  having  been  carried  away  with 
everything  else.  After  going  a  good  way  down  the 
ravine  to  a  place  where  it  grew  much  wider,  with  the 
walls  lower,  he  found  things  that  had  been  thrown  up 
on  the  sides,  and  among  these  was  the  trunk  of  a  young 

72 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

tree,  which,  after  a  great  deal  of  hard  work,  he 
brought  back  to  the  cave,  and  by  the  help  of  this 
they  all  scrambled  down. 

They  hurried  down  the  ravine,  and  as  they  ap 
proached  the  lower  part,  where  it  became  wider  before 
opening  into  the  little  bay  into  which  the  stream  ran, 
they  found  that  the  flood,  as  it  had  grown  shallower 
and  spread  itself  out,  had  left  here  and  there  various 
things  which  it  had  brought  down  from  the  camp — 
bits  of  the  huts,  articles  of  clothing,  and  after  a  while 
they  came  to  a  Rackbird,  quite  dead,  and  hanging 
upon  a  point  of  projecting  rock.  Farther  on  they 
found  two  or  three  more  bodies  stranded,  and  later 
in  the  day  some  Rackbirds  who  had  been  washed  out 
to  sea  came  back  with  the  tide,  and  were  found  upon 
the  beach.  It  was  impossible,  Cheditafa  said,  for  any 
of  them  to  have  escaped  from  that  raging  torrent, 
which  hurled  them  against  the  rocks  as  it  carried  them 
down  to  the  sea. 

But  the  little  party  of  hungry  Africans  did  not  stop 
to  examine  anything  which  had  been  left.  What  they 
wanted  was  something  to  eat,  and  they  knew  where 
to  get  it.  About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  back  from  the 
beach  was  the  storehouse  of  the  Rackbirds,  a  sort  of 
cellar  which  they  had  made  in  a  sand-hill.  As  the 
Africans  had  carried  the  stores  over  from  the  vessel 
which  had  brought  them,  and  had  afterwards  taken  to 
the  camp  such  supplies  as  were  needed  from  time  to 
time,  of  course  they  knew  where  to  find  them,  and 
they  lost  no  time  in  making  a  hearty  meal. 

According  to  Cheditafa's  earnest  assertions,  they  had 
never  eaten  as  they  had  eaten  then.  He  believed 
that  the  reason  they  had  been  left  without  food  was 

73 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

that  the  K-ackbirds  were  too  proud  to  wait  on  black 
men,  and  had  concluded  to  let  them  suffer  until  they 
had  returned  from  their  expedition,  and  the  negroes 
could  be  let  down  to  attend  to  their  own  wants. 

After  they  had  eaten,  the  Africans  went  to  a  spot 
which  commanded  a  view  up  the  ravine,  as  well  as 
the  whole  of  the  bay,  and  there  they  hid  themselves, 
and  watched  as  long  as  it  was  daylight,  so  that  if  any 
of  the  Rackbirds  had  escaped  they  could  see  them. 
But  they  saw  nothing,  and  being  very  anxious  to  find 
good  white  people  who  would  take  care  of  them,  they 
started  out  before  dawn  that  morning  to  look  for  the 
shipwrecked  party  about  whom  Cheditafa  had  heard 
the  Rackbirds  talking,  and  with  whom  they  hoped  to 
find  their  companion  Mok,  and  thus  it  was  that  they 
were  here. 

"And  those  men  were  coming  to  attack  us  last 
night? "  asked  the  captain.  "You  are  sure  of  that? " 

"Yes,"  said  Cheditafa,  "it  was  last  night.  They 
not  know  how  many  you  are,  and  all  were  coming." 

"And  some  of  them  had  already  been  here?" 

"Yes,"  replied  the  African.  "One  day  before,  three 
went  out  to  look  for  Mok,  and  they  found  his  track 
and  more  track,  and  they  waited  in  the  black  darkness, 
and  then  came  here,  and  they  heard  you  all  sleep  and 
snore  that  night.  They  were  to  come  again,  and  if 
they—" 

"And  yesterday  afternoon  the  lake  came  down  and 
swept  them  out  of  existence  ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff. 


74 


CHAPTER   X 

THE  CAPTAIN   EXPLORES 

WHEN  Captain  Horn  had  heard  the  story  of  Cheditafa, 
he  walked  away  from  the  rest  of  the  party,  and  stood, 
his  eyes  upon  the  ground,  still  mechanically  holding 
his  gun.  He  now  knew  that  the  great  danger  he  had 
feared  had  been  a  real  one,  and  far  greater  than  he 
had  imagined.  A  systematic  attack  by  all  the  Kack- 
birds  would  have  swept  away  his  single  resistance  as 
the  waters  had  swept  them  and  their  camp  away.  As 
to  parley  or  compromise  with  those  wretches,  he  knew 
that  it  would  have  been  useless  to  think  of  it.  They 
allowed  no  one  to  go  forth  from  their  hands  to  reveal 
the  place  of  their  rendezvous. 

But  although  he  was  able  to  appreciate  at  its  full 
force  the  danger  with  which  they  had  been  threatened, 
his  soul  could  not  immediately  adjust  itself  to  the  new 
conditions.  It  had  been  pressed  down  so  far  that 
it  could  not  easily  rise  again.  He  felt  that  he  must 
make  himself  believe  in  the  relief  which  had  come  to 
them,  and,  turning  sharply,  he  called  out  to  Chedi 
tafa : 

"Man,  since  you  have  been  in  this  part  of  the  coun- 
75 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

try,  have  you  ever  seen  or  heard  of  any  wild  beasts 
here?  Are  there  any  jaguars  or  pumas?  " 

The  African  shook  his  head.  "No,  no,"  said  he, 
"  no  wild  beasts.  Everybody  sleep  out  of  doors.  No 
think  of  beasts— no  snakes." 

The  captain  dropped  his  gun  upon  the  ground. 
"Miss  Markham!"  he  exclaimed.  "Mrs.  Cliff!  I 
truly  believe  we  are  out  of  all  danger — that  we — " 

But  the  two  ladies  had  gone  inside,  and  heard  him 
not.  They  appreciated  to  the  full  the  danger  from 
which  they  had  been  delivered.  Balph,  too,  had  gone. 
The  captain  saw  him  on  his  post  of  observation,  jam 
ming  the  end  of  his  flagpole  down  between  two  rocks. 

"Hello  ! "  cried  the  boy,  seeing  the  captain  looking 
up  at  him,  "we  might  as  well  have  this  flying  here 
all  the  time.  There  is  nobody  to  hurt  us  now,  and 
we  want  people  to  know  where  we  are." 

The  captain  walked  by  the  little  group  of  Africans, 
who  were  sitting  on  the  ground,  talking  in  their  native 
tongue,  and  entered  the  passage.  He  climbed  over 
the  barrier,  and  went  to  the  lake.  He  did  not  wish  to 
talk  to  anybody,  but  he  felt  that  he  must  do  some 
thing,  and  now  was  a  good  time  to  carry  out  his 
previous  intention  to  cross  over  the  empty  bed  of  the 
lake  and  to  look  out  of  the  opening  on  the  other  side. 
There  was  no  need  now  to  do  this  for  purposes  of 
vigilance,  but  he  thought  that  if  he  could  get  out  on 
the  other  side  of  the  cave  he  might  discover  some  clew 
to  the  disappearance  of  the  lake. 

He  had  nearly  crossed  the  lake  bottom,  when  sud 
denly  he  stopped,  gazing  at  something  which  stood 
before  him,  and  which  was  doubtless  the  object  he  had 
struck  when  swimming.  The  sun  was  now  high  and 

76 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  cave  well  lighted,  and  with  a  most  eager  interest 
the  captain  examined  the  slimy  and  curious  object  on 
which  his  feet  had  rested  when  it  was  submerged,  and 
from  which  he  had  fallen.  It  was  not  the  horizontal 
trunk  of  a  tree  with  a  branch  projecting  from  it  at 
right  angles.  It  was  nothing  that  was  natural  or  had 
grown.  It  was  plainly  the  work  of  man.  It  was  a 
machine. 

At  first  the  captain  thought  it  was  made  of  wood, 
but  afterwards  he  believed  it  to  be  of  metal  of  some 
sort.  The  horizontal  portion  of  it  was  a  great  cylinder, 
so  near  the  bottom  of  the  lake  that  he  could  almost 
touch  it  with  his  hands,  and  it  was  supported  by  a 
massive  framework.  From  this  projected  a  long  limb 
or  bar,  which  was  now  almost  horizontal,  but  which 
the  captain  believed  to  be  the  thick  rod  which  had 
stood  upright  when  he  clutched  it,  and  which  had 
yielded  to  his  weight  and  had  gone  down  with  him. 
He  knew  now  what  it  was  :  it  was  a  handle  that  had 
turned. 

He  hurried  to  the  other  end  of  the  huge  machine, 
where  it  rested  against  the  rocky  wall  of  the  cavern. 
There  he  saw  in  the  shadow,  but  plain  enough  now  that 
he  was  near  it,  a  circular  aperture,  a  yard  or  more  in 
diameter.  Inside  of  this  was  something  which  looked 
like  a  solid  wheel,  very  thick,  and  standing  upright 
in  the  opening.  It  was  a  valve.  The  captain  stepped 
back  and  gazed  for  some  minutes  at  this  great  machine 
which  the  disappearance  of  the  water  had  revealed. 
It  was  easy  for  him  to  comprehend  it  now. 

"When  I  slipped  and  sank,"  he  said  to  himself,  "I 
pulled  down  that  lever,  and  I  opened  the  water-gate 
and  let  out  the  lake." 

77 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

The  captain  was  a  man  whose  mind  was  perfectly 
capable  of  appreciating  novel  and  strange  impressions, 
but  with  him  such  impressions  always  connected 
themselves,  in  one  way  or  another,  with  action :  he 
could  not  stand  and  wonder  at  the  wonderful  which 
had  happened— it  always  suggested  something  he 
must  do.  What  he  now  wanted  to  do  was  to  climb 
up  to  the  great  aperture  which  lighted  the  cavern,  and 
see  what  was  outside.  He  could  not  understand  how 
the  lake  could  have  gone  from  its  basin  without  the 
sound  of  the  rushing  waters  being  heard  by  any  one 
of  the  party. 

With  some  difficulty,  he  climbed  up  to  the  cleft  and 
got  outside.  Here  he  had  a  much  better  view  of  the 
topography  of  the  place  than  he  had  yet  been  able  to 
obtain.  So  far  as  he  had  explored,  his  view  toward 
the  interior  of  the  country  had  been  impeded  by  rocks 
and  hills.  Here  he  had  a  clear  view  from  the  moun 
tains  to  the  sea,  and  the  ridge  which  he  had  before 
seen  to  the  southward  he  could  now  examine  to 
greater  advantage.  It  was  this  long  chain  of  rocks 
which  had  concealed  them  from  their  enemies,  and  on 
the  other  side  of  which  must  be  the  ravine  in  which 
the  Rackbirds  had  made  their  camp. 

Immediately  below  the  captain  was  a  little  gorge, 
not  very  deep  nor  wide,  and  from  its  general  trend 
toward  the  east  and  south  the  captain  was  sure  that 
it  formed  the  upper  part  of  the  ravine  of  the  Rack- 
birds.  At  the  bottom  of  it  there  trickled  a  little 
stream.  To  the  northeast  ran  another  line  of  low 
rock,  which  lost  itself  in  the  distance  before  it  blended 
into  the  mountains,  and  at  the  foot  of  this  must  run 
the  stream  which  had  fed  the  lake. 

78 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

In  their  search  for  water,  game,  or  fellow-beings,  no 
one  had  climbed  these  desolate  rocks,  apparently  dry 
and  barren.  But  still  the  captain  was  puzzled  as  to 
the  way  the  water  had  gone  out  of  the  lake.  He  did 
not  believe  that  it  had  flowed  through  the  ravine 
below.  There  were  no  signs  that  the?e  had  been  a 
flood  down  there.  Little  vines  and  plants  were  grow 
ing  in  chinks  of  the  rocks  close  to  the  water.  And, 
moreover,  had  a  vast  deluge  rushed  out  almost  beneath 
the  opening  which  lighted  the  cave,  it  must  have  been 
heard  by  some  of  the  party.  He  concluded,  therefore, 
that  the  water  had  escaped  through  a  subterranean 
channel  below  the  rocks  from  which  he  looked  down. 

He  climbed  down  the  sides  of  the  gorge,  and  walked 
along  its  bottom  for  two  or  three  hundred  yards,  until 
around  a  jutting  point  of  rock  he  saw  that  the  sides  of 
the  defile  separated  for  a  considerable  distance,  and 
then,  coming  together  again  below,  formed  a  sort  of 
amphitheatre.  The  bottom  of  this  was  a  considerable 
distance  below  him,  and  he  did  not  descend  into  it, 
but  he  saw  plainly  that  it  had  recently  contained 
water,  for  pools  and  puddles  were  to  be  seen  every 
where. 

At  the  other  end  of  it,  where  the  rocks  again  ap 
proached  each  other,  was  probably  a  precipice.  After 
a  few  minutes'  cogitation,  Captain  Horn  felt  sure  that 
he  understood  the  whole  matter :  a  subway  from  the 
lake  led  to  this  amphitheatre,  and  thus  there  had  been 
no  audible  rush  of  the  waters  until  they  reached  this 
point,  where  they  poured  in  and  filled  this  great  basin, 
the  lower  end  of  which  was  probably  stopped  up  by 
accumulations  of  sand  and  deposits,  which  even  in  that 
country  of  scant  vegetation  had  accumulated  in  the 

79 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

course  of  years.  When  the  waters  of  the  lake  had 
rushed  into  the  amphitheatre,  this  natural  dam  had 
held  them  for  a  while,  but  then,  giving  way  before  the 
great  pressure,  the  whole  body  of  water  had  suddenly 
rushed  down  the  ravine  to  the  sea. 

"Yes,"  said  the  captain,  "now  I  understand  how  it 
happened  that  although  I  opened  the  valve  at  noon, 
the  water  did  not  reach  the  Kackbirds  until  some  hours 
later,  and  then  it  came  suddenly  and  all  at  once,  which 
would  not  have  been  the  case  had  it  flowed  steadily 
from  the  beginning  through  the  outlet  made  for  it." 

When  the  captain  had  returned  and  reported  his 
discoveries,  and  he  and  his  party  had  finished  their 
noonday  meal,  which  they  ate  outside  on  the  plateau, 
with  the  fire  burning  and  six  servants  to  wait  on  them, 
Mrs.  Cliff  said : 

"And  now,  captain,  what  are  we  going  to  do  ?  Now 
that  our  danger  is  past,  I  suppose  the  best  thing  for 
us  is  to  stay  here  in  quiet  and  thankfulness,  and  wait 
for  Mr.  Kynders.  But,  with  the  provisions  we  have, 
we  can't  wait  very  long.  When  there  were  but  five 
of  us,  we  might  have  made  the  food  hold  out  for  a  day 
or  two  longer,  but  now  that  we  are  ten,  we  shall  soon 
be  without  anything  to  eat." 

"I  have  been  talking  to  Maka  about  that,"  said  the 
captain,  "and  he  says  thatCheditafa  reports  all  sorts  of 
necessary  things  in  the  Rackbirds'  storehouse,  and  he 
proposes  that  he  and  the  rest  of  the  black  fellows  go 
down  there  and  bring  us  some  supplies.  They  are 
used  to  carrying  these  stores,  and  six  of  them  can 
bring  us  enough  to  last  a  good  while.  Now  that  every 
thing  is  safe  over  there,  I  can  see  that  Maka  is  very 
anxious  to  go,  and,  in  fact,  I  would  like  to  go  myself. 

80 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

But  although  there  doesn't  seem  to  be  any  danger  at 
present,  I  do  not  want  to  leave  you." 

"As  for  me/'  said  Miss  Markharn,  "I  want  to  go 
there.  There  is  nothing  I  like  better  than  exploring." 

"That's  to  my  taste,  too,"  said  the  captain,  "but  it 
will  be  better  for  us  to  wait  here  and  see  what  Maka 
has  to  say  when  he  gets  back.  Perhaps,  if  Mr.  Eynders 
doesn't  turn  up  pretty  soon,  we  will  all  make  a  trip 
down  there.  Where  is  Ealph  ?  I  don't  want  him  to 
go  with  the  men." 

"He  is  up  there  on  his  lookout,  as  he  calls  it,"  said 
his  sister,  "with  his  spy-glass." 

"Very  good,"  said  the  captain.  "I  will  send  the 
men  off  immediately.  Maka  wants  to  go  now,  and 
they  can  come  back  by  the  light  of  the  young  moon. 
When  they  have  loads  to  carry,  they  like  to  travel  at 
night.  We  shall  have  to  get  our  own  supper,  and  that 
will  give  Ealph  something  to  do." 

The  party  of  Africans  had  not  gone  half-way  from 
the  plateau  to  the  beach  before  they  were  discovered 
by  the  boy  on  the  outlook  rock,  and  he  came  rushing 
down  to  report  that  the  darkies  were  running  away. 
When  he  was  told  the  business  on  which  they  had  gone, 
he  was  very  much  disappointed  that  he  was  not  allowed 
to  go  with  them,  and,  considerably  out  of  temper, 
retired  to  his  post  of  observation,  where,  as  it  ap 
peared,  he  was  dividing  his  time  between  the  dis 
covery  of  distant  specks  on  the  horizon  line  of  the 
ocean  and  imaginary  jaguars  and  pumas  on  the 
foot-hills. 


81 


CHAPTEE  XI 

A  NEW  HEMISPHERE 

WITH  a  tin  pail  in  his  hand,  the  captain  now  went 
to  the  cavern  of  the  lake.  He  wished  very  much  to 
procure  some  better  water  than  the  last  that  had  been 
brought,  and  which  Mok  must  have  dipped  up  from 
a  very  shallow  puddle.  It  was  possible,  the  captain 
thought,  that  by  going  farther  into  the  cavern  he 
might  find  a  deeper  pool  in  which  water  still  stood, 
and  if  he  could  not  do  this,  he  could  get  water  from 
the  little  stream  in  the  ravine.  More  than  this,  the 
captain  wished  very  much  to  take  another  look  at 
the  machine  by  which  he  had  let  out  the  water.  His 
mind  had  been  so  thoroughly  charged  with  the  sense 
of  danger  that,  until  this  had  faded  away,  he  had  not 
been  able  to  take  the  interest  in  the  artificial  character 
of  the  lake  which  it  deserved. 

As  the  captain  advanced  into  the  dimmer  recesses 
of  the  cavern,  he  soon  found  a  pool  of  water  a  foot  or 
more  in  depth,  and  having  filled  his  pail  at  this,  he 
set  it  down  and  walked  on  to  see  what  was  beyond. 
His  eyes  having  now  conformed  themselves  to  the 
duskiness  of  the  place,  he  saw  that  the  cavern  soon 
made  a  turn  to  the  left,  and  gazing  beyond  him,  he 

82 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

judged  that  the  cave  was  very  much  wider  here,  and 
he  also  thought  that  the  roof  was  higher.  But  he  did 
not  pay  much  attention  to  the  dimensions  of  the 
cavern,  for  he  began  to  discern,  at  first  dimly  and 
then  quite  plainly,  a  large  object  which  rose  from  the 
bottom  of  the  basin.  He  advanced  eagerly,  peering 
at  what  seemed  to  be  a  sort  of  dome-like  formation 
of  a  lighter  color  than  the  rocks  about  him,  and  appar 
ently  about  ten  feet  high. 

Carefully  feeling  his  way  for  fear  of  pitfalls,  the 
captain  drew  close  to  the  object,  and  placed  his  hand 
upon  it.  He  believed  it  to  be  of  stone,  and  moving 
his  hand  over  it,  he  thought  he  could  feel  joints  of 
masonry.  It  was  clearly  a  structure  built  by  men. 
Captain  Horn  searched  his  pockets  for  a  match,  but 
found  none,  and  he  hastened  back  to  the  cave  to  get 
the  lantern,  passing,  without  noticing  it,  the  pail 
which  he  had  filled  with  water.  He  would  have 
brought  the  lantern  with  him  when  he  first  came,  but 
they  had  no  oil  except  what  it  contained,  and  this 
they  had  husbanded  for  emergencies.  But  now  the 
captain  wanted  light  —  he  cared  not  what  might 
happen  afterwards.  In  a  very  short  time,  with  the 
lantern  in  his  hand,  which  lighted  up  the  cave  for 
a  considerable  distance  about  him,  the  captain  again 
stood  at  the  foot  of  the  subterranean  dome. 

He  walked  around  it.  He  raised  and  lowered  his 
lantern,  and  examined  it  from  top  to  bottom.  It  was 
one  half  a  sphere  of  masonry,  built  in  a  most  careful 
manner,  and,  to  all  appearances,  as  solid  as  a  great 
stone  ball,  half  sunken  in  the  ground.  Its  surface 
was  smooth,  excepting  for  two  lines  of  protuberances, 
each  a  few  inches  in  height,  and  about  a  foot  from 

83 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

each  other.  These  rows  of  little  humps  were  on  op 
posite  sides  of  the  dome,  and  from,  the  bottom  nearly 
to  the  top.  It  was  plain  they  were  intended  to  serve 
as  rude  ladders  by  which  the  top  of  the  mound  could 
be  gained. 

The  captain  stepped  back,  held  up  his  lantern,  and 
gazed  in  every  direction.  He  could  now  see  the  roof 
of  the  cavern,  and  immediately  above  him  he  perceived 
what  he  was  sure  were  regular  joints  of  masonry,  but 
on  the  sides  of  the  cave  he  saw  nothing  of  the  sort. 
For  some  minutes  he  stood  and  reflected,  his  brain  in 
a  whirl.  Presently  he  exclaimed  2 

"Yes,  this  cave  is  man's  work !  I  am  sure  of  it. 
It  is  not  natural.  I  wondered  how  there  could  be 
such  a  cave  on  the  top  of  a  hill.  It  was  originally 
a  gorge,  and  they  have  roofed  it  over,  and  the  bottom 
of  the  basin  has  been  cut  out  to  make  it  deeper.  It 
was  made  so  that  it  could  be  filled  up  with  water,  and 
roofed  over  so  that  nobody  should  know  there  was 
any  water  here,  unless  they  came  on  it  by  means  of 
the  passage  from  our  caves.  That  passage  must  have 
been  blocked  up.  As  for  the  great  opening  in  the 
side  of  the  cave,  the  rocks  have  fallen  in  there— 
that  is  easy  enough  to  see.  Yes,  men  made  this  cave 
and  filled  it  with  water,  and  if  the  water  were  high 
enough  to  cover  the  handle  of  that  machine,  as  it  was 
when  I  struck  it,  it  must  also  have  been  high  enough 
to  cover  up  this  stone  mound.  The  lake  was  intended 
to  cover  and  hide  that  mound.  And  then,  to  make 
the  hiding  of  it  doubly  sure,  the  men  who  built  all 
this  totally  covered  up  the  lake  so  that  nobody  would 
know  it  was  here.  And  then  they  built  that  valve  ap 
paratus,  which  was  also  submerged,  so  that  they  could 

84 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

let  out  the  water  when  they  wanted  to  get  at  this 
stone  thing,  whatever  it  is.  What  a  scheme  to  hide 
anything !  Even  if  anybody  discovered  the  lake, 
which  would  not  be  likely  until  some  part  of  the  cave 
fell  in,  they  would  not  know  it  was  anything  but  a 
lake  when  they  did  see  it.  And  as  for  letting  off  the 
water,  nobody  but  the  people  who  knew  about  it 
could  possibly  do  that,  unless  somebody  was  fool 
enough  to  take  the  cold  bath  I  was  obliged  to  take, 
and  even  then  it  would  have  been  one  chance  in  a 
hundred  that  he  found  the  lever,  and  would  know  how 
to  turn  it  when  he  did  find  it.  This  whole  thing  is 
the  work  of  the  ancient  South  Americans,  and  I 
imagine  that  this  stone  mound  is  the  tomb  of  one  of 
their  kings." 

At  this  moment  the  captain  heard  something,  and 
turned  to  listen.  It  was  a  voice— the  voice  of  a  boy. 
It  was  Ealph  calling  to  him.  Instantly  the  captain 
turned  and  hurried  away,  and  as  he  went  he  ex 
tinguished  his  lantern.  When  he  reached  his  pail  of 
water  he  picked  it  up,  and  was  very  soon  joined  by 
Ealph,  who  was  coming  to  meet  him  over  the  bot 
tom  of  the  lake. 

"I  have  been  looking  for  you  everywhere,  captain," 
said  he.  "What  have  you  been  after?  More  water? 
And  you  took  a  lantern  to  find  it,  eh  ?  And  you  have 
been  ever  so  far  into  the  cave.  Why  didn't  you  call 
me  ?  Let  me  have  the  lantern.  I  want  to  go  to  explore." 

But  the  captain  did  not  give  him  the  lantern,  nor 
did  he  allow  him  to  go  to  explore. 

"No,  sir,"  said  he.  "What  we've  got  to  do  is  to 
hurry  outside  and  help  get  supper.  We  must  wait 
on  ourselves  to-night." 

86 


When  supper  was  over,  that  evening,  and  the  little 
party  was  sitting  out  on  the  plateau,  gazing  over  the 
ocean  at  the  sunlit  sky,  Mrs.  Cliff  declared  that  she 
wished  they  could  bring  their  bedding  and  spread  it 
on  the  ground  out  there,  and  sleep. 

"It  is  dry  enough,"  she  said,  "and  warm  enough, 
and  if  there  is  really  nothing  to  fear  from  animals  or 
men,  I  don't  want  ever  to  go  inside  of  those  caves 
again.  I  had  such  horrible  fears  and  ideas  when  I  was 
sitting  trembling  in  those  dismal  vaults,  expecting  a 
horde  of  human  devils  to  burst  in  upon  us  at  any  mo 
ment,  that  the  whole  place  is  horrible  to  me.  Any 
way,  if  I  knew  that  I  had  to  be  killed,  I  would  rather 
be  killed  out  here." 

The  captain  smiled.  "I  don't  think  we  will  give  up 
the  caves  just  yet.  I,  for  one,  most  certainly  want  to 
go  in  there  again."  And  then  he  told  the  story  of  the 
stone  mound  which  he  had  discovered. 

"And  you  believe,"  cried  Mrs.  Cliff,  leaning  for 
ward,  "that  it  is  really  the  tomb  of  an  ancient  king?  " 

"If  it  isn't  that,  I  don't  know  what  it  can  be,"  said 
the  captain. 

"The  grave  of  a  king  ! "  cried  Kalph.  "A  mummy  ! 
With  inscriptions  and  paintings  !  Oh,  captain,  let's  go 
open  it  this  minute,  before  those  blackies  get  back." 

The  captain  shook  his  head.  "Don't  be  in  such  a 
hurry,"  he  said.  "It  will  not  be  an  easy  job  to  open 
that  mound,  and  we  shall  need  the  help  of  the  blackies, 
as  you  call  them,  if  we  do  it  at  all." 

"Do  it  at  all ! "  cried  Kalph.  "I'll  never  leave  this 
place  until  I  do  it  myself,  if  there  is  nobody  else  to 
help." 

Miss  Markham  sat  silent.     She  was  the  only  one  of 

86 


ADVENTURES  OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  company  who  had  studied  the  history  of  South 
America,  and  she  did  not  believe  that  the  ancient 
inhabitants  of  that  country  buried  their  kings  in  stone 
tombs,  or  felt  it  necessary  to  preserve  their  remains 
in  phenomenal  secrecy  and  security.  She  had  read 
things,  however,  about  the  ancient  peoples  of  this 
country  which  now  made  her  eyes  sparkle  and  her 
heart  beat  quickly.  But  she  did  not  say  anything. 
This  was  a  case  in  which  it  would  be  better  to  wait  to 
see  what  would  happen. 

"  Captain  ! "  cried  Ralph, "  let's  go  to  see  the  thing. 
"What  is  the  use  of  waiting?  Edna  and  Mrs.  Cliff 
won't  mind  staying  here  while  you  take  me  to  see  it. 
"We  can  go  in  ten  minutes." 

"  No,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "  there  may  be  no  danger,  but 
I  am  not  going  to  be  left  here  with  the  sun  almost 
down,  and  you  two  out  of  sight  and  hearing." 

"  Let  us  all  go,"  said  Edna. 

The  captain  considered  for  a  moment.  "Yes,"  said 
he,  "  let  us  all  go.  As  we  shall  have  to  take  a  lantern 
anyway,  this  is  as  good  a  time  as  another." 

It  was  not  an  easy  thing  for  the  two  ladies  to  get 
over  the  wall  at  the  end  of  the  passage,  and  to  make 
their  way  over  the  rough  and  slippery  bottom  of  the 
lake  basin,  now  lighted  only  by  the  lantern  which  the 
captain  carried.  But  in  the  course  of  time,  with  a 
good  deal  of  help  from  their  companions,  they  reached 
the  turning  of  the  cave  and  stood  before  the  stone 
mound. 

"  Hurrah  ! "  cried  Kalph.  "  "Why,  captain,  you  are 
like  Columbus !  You  have  discovered  a  new  hemi 
sphere." 

"  It  is  like  one  of  the  great  ant-hills  of  Africa,"  said 
87 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Mrs.  Cliff,  "but,  of  course,  this  was  not  built  by  ants. 
I  wonder  if  it  is  possible  that  it  can  be  the  abode  of 
water-snakes." 

Edna  stood  silent  for  a  few  moments,  and  then  she 
said,  "Captain,  do  you  suppose  that  this  dome  was 
entirely  covered  by  water  when  the  lake  was  full  ? " 

"I  think  so,"  said  he.  "Judging  from  what  I  know 
of  the  depth  of  the  lake,  I  am  almost  sure  of  it." 

"Kalph!"  suddenly  cried  Mrs.  Cliff,  "don't  try  to 
do  that.  The  thing  may  break  under  you,  and  no 
body  knows  what  you  would  fall  into.  Come  down." 

But  Kalph  paid  no  attention  to  her  words.  He  was 
half-way  up  the  side  of  the  mound  when  she  began  to 
speak,  and  on  its  top  when  she  had  finished. 

"Captain,"  he  cried,  "  hand  me  up  the  lantern.  I 
want  to  see  if  there  is  a  trap-door  into  this  affair. 
Don't  be  afraid,  Mrs.  Cliff.  It's  as  solid  as  a  rock." 

The  captain  did  not  hand  up  the  lantern,  but  hold 
ing  it  carefully  in  one  hand,  he  ascended  the  dome  by 
means  of  the  row  of  protuberances  on  the  other 
side,  and  crouched  down  beside  Ealph  on  the  top 
of  it. 

"Oh,  ho  ! "  said  he,  as  he  moved  the  lantern  this  way 
and  that,  "here  is  a  square  slab  fitted  into  the  very 
top." 

"Yes,"  said  Ealph,  "and  it's  got  different  mortar 
around  the  edges." 

"That  is  not  mortar,"  said  the  captain.  "I  believe 
it  is  some  sort  of  resin.  Here,  hold  the  lantern,  and 
be  careful  of  it."  The  captain  took  his  jack-knife 
out  of  his  pocket,  and  with  the  large  blade  began  to 
dig  into  the  substance  which  filled  the  joint  around  the 
slab,  which  was  about  eighteen  inches  square.  "It  is 

88 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

resin,"  said  lie,  "or  something  like  it,  and  it  comes  out 
very  easily.  This  slab  is  intended  to  be  moved." 

"Indeed  it  is ! "  exclaimed  Ealph,  "and  we're  in 
tended  to  move  it.  Here,  captain,  I'll  help  you. 
I've  got  a  knife.  Let's  dig  out  that  stuff  and  lift  up 
the  lid  before  the  darkies  come  back.  If  we  find  any 
dead  bodies  inside  this  tomb,  they  will  frighten  those 
fellows  to  death,  if  they  catch  sight  of  them." 

"Very  good,"  said  the  captain.  "I  shall  be  only  too 
glad  to  get  this  slab  up,  if  I  can,  but  I  am  afraid  we 
shall  want  a  crowbar  and  more  help.  It's  a  heavy 
piece  of  stone,  and  I  see  no  way  of  getting  at  it." 

"This  isn't  stone  in  the  middle  of  the  slab,"  said 
Ealph.  "It's  a  lot  more  resinous  stuff.  I  had  the 
lantern  over  it  and  did  not  see  it.  Let's  take  it  out." 

There  was  a  circular  space  in  the  centre  of  the  stone, 
about  eight  inches  in  diameter,  which  seemed  to  be 
covered  with  resin.  After  a  few  minutes'  work  with 
the  jack-knives  this  substance  was  loosened  and  came 
out  in  two  parts,  showing  a  bowl-like  depression  in 
the  slab,  which  had  been  so  cut  as  to  leave  a  little  bar 
running  from  side  to  side  of  it. 

"A  handle  ! "  cried  Kalph. 

"That  is  what  it  is,"  said  Captain  Horn.  "If  it  is 
intended  to  be  lifted,  I  ought  to  be  able  to  do  it. 
Move  down  a  little  with  the  lantern,  and  give  me 
room." 

The  captain  now  stood  on  the  top  of  the  mound, 
with  the  slab  between  his  feet,  and  stooping  down,  he 
took  hold  of  the  handle  with  both  hands.  He  was  a 
powerful  man,  but  he  could  not  lift  the  stone.  His 
first  effort,  however,  loosened  it,  and  then  he  began  to 
move  it  from  side  to  side,  still  pulling  upward,  until  at 

89 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

last  he  could  feel  it  rising.  Then,  with  a  great  heave, 
he  lifted  it  entirely  out  of  the  square  aperture  in  which 
it  had  been  fitted,  and  set  it  on  one  side. 

In  an  instant,  Ealph,  lantern  in  hand,  was  gazing 
down  into  the  opening.  "Hello  ! "  he  cried,  "there  is 
something  on  fire  in  there.  Oh,  no,"  he  added  quickly, 
correcting  himself,  "it's  only  the  reflection  from  our 
light." 


CHAPTER  XH 

A  TEADITION  AND  A  WAISTCOAT 

CAPTAIN  HORN,  his  face  red  with  exertion  and  excite 
ment,  stood  gazing  down  into  the  square  aperture  at 
his  feet.  On  the  other  edge  of  the  opening  knelt 
Ralph,  holding  the  lantern  so  that  it  would  throw  its 
light  into  the  hole.  In  a  moment,  before  the  boy  had 
time  to  form  a  question,  he  was  pushed  gently  to  one 
side,  and  his  sister  Edna,  who  had  clambered  up  the 
side  of  the  mound,  knelt  beside  him.  She  peered  down 
into  the  depths  beneath,  and  then  she  drew  back  and 
looked  up  at  the  captain.  His  whole  soul  was  in  his 
downward  gaze,  and  he  did  not  even  see  her. 

Then  there  came  a  voice  from  below.  "What  is 
it?  "  cried  Mrs.  Cliff.  "What  are  you  all  looking  at! 
Do  tell  me." 

With  half-shut  eyes,  Edna  let  herself  down  the  side 
of  the  mound,  and  when  her  feet  touched  the  ground, 
she  made  a  few  tottering  steps  toward  Mrs.  Cliff,  and 
placing  her  two  hands  on  her  companion's  shoulders, 
she  whispered,  "I  thought  it  was.  It  is  gold !  It  is 
the  gold  of  the  Incas."  And  then  she  sank  senseless 
at  the  feet  of  the  older  woman. 

Mrs.  Cliff  did  not  know  that  Miss  Markham  had 
91 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

fainted.  She  simply  stood  still  and  exclaimed,  "Gold  1 
What  does  it  mean! " 

"What  is  it  all  about ?  "  exclaimed  Ealph.  "It  looks 
like  petrified  honey.  This  never  could  have  been  a 
beehive." 

Without  answering,  Captain  Horn  knelt  at  the  edge 
of  the  aperture,  and  taking  the  lantern  from  the  boy, 
he  let  it  down  as  far  as  it  would  go,  which  was  only  a 
foot  or  two. 

"Ealph,"  he  said  hoarsely,  as  he  drew  himself  back, 
"hold  this  lantern  and  get  down  out  of  my  way.  I 
must  cover  this  up,  quick."  And  seizing  the  stone 
slab  by  the  handle,  he  lifted  it  as  if  it  had  been  a  pot- 
lid,  and  let  it  down  into  its  place.  "Now,"  said  he, 
"get  down,  and  let  us  all  go  away  from  this  place. 
Those  negroes  may  be  back  at  any  moment." 

When  Ealph  found  that  his  sister  had  fainted,  and 
that  Mrs.  Cliff  did  not  know  it,  there  was  a  little  com 
motion  at  the  foot  of  the  mound.  But  some  water  in 
a  pool  near  by  soon  revived  Edna,  and  in  ten  minutes 
the  party  was  on  the  plateau  outside  the  caverns. 
The  new  moon  was  just  beginning  to  peep  over  the 
rocks  behind  them,  and  the  two  ladies  had  seated  them 
selves  on  the  ground.  Ealph  was  pouring  out  question 
after  question,  to  which  nobody  paid  any  attention,  and 
Captain  Horn,  his  hands  thrust  into  his  pockets,  walked 
backward  and  forward,  his  face  flushed  and  his  breath 
coming  heavily,  and,  with  his  eyes  upon  the  ground, 
he  seemed  to  think  himself  entirely  alone  among  those 
desolate  crags. 

"Can  any  of  you  tell  me  what  it  means  f  "  cried  Mrs. 
Cliff.  "Edna,  do  you  understand  it  ?  Tell  me  quickly, 
some  of  you  ! " 

92 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

"I  believe  I  know  what  it  means,"  said  Edna,  her 
voice  trembling  as  she  spoke.  "I  thought  I  knew  as 
soon  as  I  heard  of  the  mound  covered  up  by  the  lake, 
but  I  did  not  dare  to  say  anything,  because  if  my 
opinion  should  be  correct  it  would  be  so  wonderful,  so 
astounding,  my  mind  could  hardly  take  hold  of  it." 

"But  what  is  it?  "  cried  Mrs.  Cliff  and  Kalph,  almost 
in  one  breath. 

"I  scarcely  know  what  to  say,"  said  Edna,  "my 
mind  is  in  such  a  whirl  about  it,  but  I  will  tell  you 
something  of  what  I  have  read  of  the  ancient  history 
of  Peru,  and  then  you  will  understand  my  fancies 
about  this  stone  mound.  When  the  Spaniards,  under 
Pizarro,  came  to  this  country,  their  main  object,  as  we 
all  know,  was  booty.  They  especially  wished  to  get 
hold  of  the  wonderful  treasures  of  the  Incas,  the  an 
cient  rulers  of  Peru.  This  was  the  reason  of  almost 
all  the  cruelties  and  wickedness  of  the  invaders.  The 
Incas  tried  various  ways  of  preserving  their  treasures 
from  the  clutch  of  the  Spaniards,  and  I  have  read  of 
a  tradition  that  they  drained  a  lake,  probably  near 
Cuzco,  the  ancient  capital,  and  made  a  strong  cellar, 
or  mound,  at  the  bottom  of  it  in  which  to  hide  their 
gold.  They  then  let  the  water  in  again,  and  the  tra 
dition  also  says  that  this  mound  has  never  been  dis 
covered." 

"Do  you  believe,"  cried  the  captain,  "that  the 
mound  back  there  in  the  cavern  is  the  place  where 
the  Incas  stored  their  gold  ?  " 

"I  do  not  believe  it  is  the  place  I  read  about,"  said 
Miss  Markham,  "for  that,  as  I  said,  must  have  been 
near  Cuzco,,  But  there  is  no  reason  why  there  should 
not  have  been  other  places  of  concealment.  This  was 

93 


ADVENTURES  OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

far  away  from  the  capital,  but  that  would  make  the 
treasure  so  much  the  safer.  The  Spaniards  would 
never  have  thought  of  going  to  such  a  lonely,  deserted 
place  as  this,  and  the  Incas  would  not  have  spared  any 
time  or  trouble  necessary  to  securely  hide  their  treas 
ures." 

"If  you  are  right,"  cried  the  captain,  "this  is,  indeed, 
astounding  !  Treasure  in  a  mound  of  stone— a  mound 
covered  by  water,  which  could  be  let  off !  The  whole 
shut  up  in  a  cave  which  must  have  originally  been  as 
dark  as  pitch  !  When  we  come  to  think  of  it,"  he  con 
tinued  excitedly,  "it  is  an  amazing  hiding-place,  no 
matter  what  was  put  into  the  mound." 

"And  do  you  mean,"  almost  screamed  Mrs.  Cliff, 
"that  that  stone  thing  down  there  is  filled  with  the 
wealth  of  the  Incas?— the  fabulous  gold  we  read 
about?" 

"I  do  not  know  what  else  it  can  be,"  replied  Edna. 
"What  I  saw  when  I  looked  down  into  the  hole  was 
surely  gold." 

"Yes,"  said  the  captain,  "it  was  gold— gold  in  small 
bars." 

"Why  didn't  you  get  a  piece,  captain?"  asked 
Kalph.  "Then  we  could  be  sure  about  it.  If  that 
thing  is  nearly  filled,  there  must  be  tons  of  it." 

"I  did  not  think,"  said  the  captain.  "I  could  not 
think.  I  was  afraid  somebody  would  come." 

"And  now  tell  me  this,"  cried  Mrs.  Cliff.  "Whom 
does  this  gold  belong  to?  That  is  what  I  want  to 
know.  Whose  is  it?" 

"Come,  come ! "  said  the  captain,  "let  us  stop  talk 
ing  about  this  thing,  and  thinking  about  it.  We  shall 
all  be  maniacs  if  we  don't  quiet  ourselves  a  little,  and, 

94 


ADVENTURES  OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

besides,  it  cannot  be  long  before  those  black  fellows 
come  back,  and  we  do  not  want  to  be  speaking  about 
it  then.  To-morrow  we  will  examine  the  mound  and 
see  what  it  is  we  have  discovered.  In  the  meantime, 
let  us  quiet  our  minds  and  get  a  good  night's  sleep,  if 
we  can.  This  whole  affair  is  astounding,  but  we  must 
not  let  it  make  us  crazy  before  we  understand  it." 

Miss  Markham  was  a  young  woman  very  capable  of 
controlling  herself.  It  was  true  she  had  been  more 
affected  in  consequence  of  the  opening  of  the  mound 
than  any  of  the  others,  but  that  was  because  she 
understood,  or  thought  she  understood,  what  the  dis 
covery  meant,  and  to  the  others  it  was  something 
which  at  first  they  could  not  appreciate.  Now  she 
saw  the  good  common  sense  of  the  captain's  remarks, 
and  said  no  more  that  evening  on  the  subject  of  the 
stone  mound. 

But  Mrs.  Cliff  and  Ealph  could  not  be  quiet.  They 
must  talk,  and  as  the  captain  walked  away  that  they 
might  not  speak  to  him,  they  talked  to  each  other. 

It  was  nearly  an  hour  after  this  that  Captain  Horn, 
standing  on  the  outer  end  of  the  plateau,  saw  some 
black  dots  moving  on  the  moonlit  beach.  They  moved 
very  slowly,  and  it  was  a  long  time— at  least,  it  seemed 
so  to  the  captain— before  Maka  and  his  companions 
reached  the  plateau. 

The  negroes  were  heavily  loaded  with  bags  and 
packages,  and  they  were  glad  to  deposit  their  burdens 
on  the  ground. 

"Hi ! "  cried  the  captain,  who  spoke  as  if  he  had 
been  drinking  champagne,  "you  brought  a  good  cargo, 
Maka,  and  now  don't  let  us  hear  any  tales  of  what  you 
have  seen  until  we  have  had  supper— supper  for  every  - 

95 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

body.  You  know  what  you  have  got,  Maka.  Let  us 
have  the  best  things,  and  let  every  one  of  you  take  a 
hand  in  making  a  fire  and  cooking.  What  we  want 
is  a  first-class  feast." 

"I  got  'em,"  said  Maka,  who  understood  English  a 
good  deal  better  than  he  could  speak  it,— "ham,  cheese, 
lots  things.  All  want  supper— good  supper." 

While  the  meal  was  being  prepared,  Captain  Horn 
walked  over  to  Mrs.  Cliff  and  Kalph.  "Now,  I  beg  of 
you,"  he  said,  "don't  let  these  men  know  we  have 
found  anything.  This  is  a  very  important  matter. 
Don't  talk  about  it,  and  if  you  can't  keep  down  your 
excitement,  let  them  think  it  is  the  prospect  of  good 
victuals,  and  plenty  of  them,  that  has  excited  you." 

After  supper  Maka  and  Cheditafa  were  called  upon 
to  tell  their  story,  but  they  said  very  little.  They  had 
gone  to  the  place  where  the  Rackbirds  had  kept  their 
stores,  and  had  selected  what  Maka  considered  would 
be  most  desirable,  including  some  oil  for  the  lantern, 
and  had  brought  away  as  much  as  they  could  carry. 
This  was  all. 

When  the  rest  of  his  party  had  gone  inside,  hoping 
to  get  their  minds  quiet  enough  to  sleep,  and  the  cap 
tain  was  preparing  to  follow  them,  Maka  arose  from 
the  spot  on  the  open  plateau  where  the  tired  negroes 
had  stretched  themselves  for  the  night,  and  said : 

"Got  something  tell  you  alone.     Come  out  here." 

When  the  two  had  gone  to  a  spot  a  little  distance 
from  the  cavern  entrance,  where  the  light  of  the  moon, 
now  nearly  set,  enabled  objects  to  be  seen  with  some 
distinctness,  Maka  took  from  inside  his  shirt  a  small 
piece  of  clothing.  "Look  here,"  said  he.  "This  belong 
to  Davis." 

96 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

The  captain  took  the  garment  in  his  hand.  It  was 
a  waistcoat  made  of  plaid  cloth,  yellow,  green,  and 
red,  and  most  striking  in  pattern,  and  Captain  Horn 
instantly  recognized  it  as  the  waistcoat  of  Davis,  the 
Englishman. 

"He  dead,"  said  Maka,  simply. 

The  captain  nodded.     He  had  no  doubt  of  it. 

"Where  did  you  find  if? "  he  asked. 

"Sticking  on  rock,"  said  the  African.  "Lots  things 
down  there.  Some  one  place,  some  another  place. 
Didn't  know  other  things,  but  know  this.  Davis' 
waistcoat.  No  mistake  that.  Him  wear  it  all  time." 

"You  are  a  good  fellow,  Maka,"  said  the  captain, 
"not  to  speak  of  this  before  the  ladies.  Now  go  and 
sleep.  There  is  no  need  of  a  guard  to-night." 

The  captain  went  inside,  procured  his  gun,  and 
seated  himself  outside,  with  his  back  against  a  rock. 
There  he  sat  all  night,  without  once  closing  his 
eyes.  He  was  not  afraid  that  anything  would  come  to 
molest  them,  but  it  was  just  as  well  to  have  the  gun. 
As  for  sleeping,  that  was  impossible.  He  had  heard 
and  seen  too  much  that  day. 


97 


CHAPTER 

"MINE  !  " 


CAPTAIN  HORN  and  his  party  sat  down  together  the 
next  morning  on  the  plateau  to  drink  their  hot  coffee 
and  eat  their  biscuit  and  bacon,  and  it  was  plain  that 
the  two  ladies,  as  well  as  the  captain,  had  had  little 
sleep  the  night  before.  Ralph  declared  that  he  had 
been  awake  ever  so  long,  endeavoring  to  calculate  how 
many  cubic  feet  of  gold  there  would  be  in  that  mound 
if  it  were  filled  with  the  precious  metal.  "But  as  I 
did  not  know  how  much  a  cubic  foot  of  gold  is  worth," 
said  he,  "and  as  we  might  find,  after  all,  that  there  is 
only  a  layer  of  gold  on  top,  and  that  all  the  rest  is 
Incas'  bones,  I  gave  it  up." 

The  captain  was  very  grave—  graver,  Miss  Markham 
thought,  than  the  discovery  of  gold  ought  to  make  a 
man. 

"We  won't  worry  ourselves  with  calculations,"  said 
he.  "As  soon  as  I  can  get  rid  of  those  black  fellows, 
we  will  go  to  see  what  is  really  in  that  tomb,  or  store 
house,  or  whatever  it  is.  We  will  make  a  thorough 
investigation  this  time." 

When  the  men  had  finished  eating,  the  captain 
sent  them  all  down  to  look  for  driftwood.  The  stock 

98 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

of  wood  on  the  plateau  was  almost  exhausted,  and  he 
was  glad  to  think  of  some  reasonable  work  which 
would  take  them  away  from  the  cavern. 

As  soon  as  they  had  gone,  the  captain  rose  to  get 
the  lantern,  and  called  Kalph  to  accompany  him  to 
the  mound. 

When  they  were  left  alone,  Edna  said  to  Mrs.  Cliff, 
"Let  us  go  over  there  to  that  shady  rock,  where  we  can 
look  out  for  a  ship  with  Mr.  Kynders  in  it,  and  let  us 
talk  about  our  neighbors  in  America.  Let  us  try  to 
forget,  for  a  time,  all  about  what  the  captain  is  going 
to  investigate.  If  we  keep  on  thinking  and  talking 
of  it,  our  minds  will  not  be  in  a  fit  condition  to  hear 
what  he  will  have  to  tell  us.  It  may  all  come  to 
nothing,  you  know,  and  no  matter  what  it  comes  to, 
let  us  keep  quiet,  and  give  our  nerves  a  little  rest." 

"That  is  excellent  advice,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff.  But 
when  they  were  comfortably  seated  in  the  shade,  she 
said  :  "I  have  been  thinking,  Edna,  that  the  possession 
of  vast  treasures  did  not  weaken  the  minds  of  those 
Incas,  I  supposed,  until  yesterday,  that  the  caverns 
here  were  intended  for  some  sort  of  temple  for  relig 
ious  ceremonies,  and  that  the  great  face  on  the  rock 
out  here  was  an  idol.  But  now  I  do  not  believe  that. 
All  openings  into  the  cave  must  once  have  been  closed 
up,  but  it  would  not  do  to  hide  the  place  so  that  no 
one  could  ever  find  it  again,  so  they  carved  that  great 
head  on  the  rocks.  Nobody,  except  those  who  had 
hid  the  treasure,  would  know  what  the  face  meant." 

Edna  gave  a  little  smile  and  sighed.  "I  see  it  is  of 
no  use  to  try  to  get  that  mound  out  of  our  minds," 
she  said. 

"Out  of  our  minds  ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff.  "If  one 
99 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

of  the  Kothschilds  were  to  hand  you  a  check  for  the 
whole  of  his  fortune,  would  you  expect  to  get  that 
out  of  your  mind?" 

"Such  a  check,"  said  Edna,  "would  be  a  certain 
fortune.  We  have  not  heard  yet  what  this  is." 

"I  think  we  are  the  two  meekest  and  humblest 
people  in  the  whole  world ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff, 
walking  up  and  down  the  sand.  "I  don't  believe  any 
other  two  persons  would  be  content  to  wait  here  until 
somebody  should  come  and  tell  them  whether  they 
were  millionaires  or  not.  But,  of  course,  somebody 
must  stay  outside  to  keep  those  colored  people  from 
swarming  into  the  cave  when  they  come  back." 

It  was  not  long  after  this  that  Mrs.  Cliff  and  Edna 
heard  the  sound  of  quickly  advancing  feet,  and  in  a 
few  moments  they  were  joined  by  Ralph  and  the  cap 
tain. 

"Your  faces  shine  like  gold,"  cried  Edna.  "What 
have  you  found? " 

"Found!"  cried  Kalph.  "Why,  Edna,  we've 
got-" 

"Be  quiet,  Kalph,''  exclaimed  Edna.  "I  want  to 
hear  what  the  captain  has  to  say.  Captain,  what  is 
in  the  mound  ?  " 

"We  went  to  the  mound,"  said  he,  speaking  very 
rapidly,  "and  when  we  got  to  the  top  and  lifted  off 
that  stone  lid— upon  my  soul,  ladies,  I  believe  there 
is  gold  enough  in  that  thing  to  ballast  a  ship.  It  isn't 
filled  quite  up  to  the  top,  and,  of  course,  I  could  not 
find  out  how  deep  the  gold  goes  down  ;  but  I  worked 
a  hole  in  it  as  far  down  as  my  arm  would  reach,  and 
found  nothing  but  gold  bars  like  this."  Then,  glancing 
around  to  see  that  none  of  the  Africans  were  return- 

100 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

ing,  he  took  from  his  pocket  a  yellow  object  about 
three  inches  in  length  and  an  inch  in  diameter,  shaped 
like  a  rough  prism,  cast  in  a  rudely  constructed 
mortar  or  mould.  "I  brought  away  just  one  of 
them,"  he  said,  "and  then  I  shut  down  the  lid,  and 
we  came  away." 

"And  is  this  gold?  "  exclaimed  Edna,  eagerly  seizing 
the  bar.  "Are  you  sure  of  it,  captain  ? " 

"I  am  as  sure  of  it  as  I  am  that  I  have  a  head  on 
my  shoulders,"  said  he,  "although  when  I  was  diving 
down  into  that  pile  I  was  not  quite  sure  of  that.  No 
one  would  ever  put  anything  but  gold  in  such  a 
hiding-place.  And  then,  anybody  can  see  it  is  gold. 
Look  here  :  I  scraped  that  spot  with  my  knife.  I 
wanted  to  test  it  before  I  showed  it  to  you.  See  how 
it  shines !  I  could  easily  cut  into  it.  I  believe  it  is 
virgin  gold,  not  hardened  with  any  alloy." 

"And  that  mound  full  of  it !  "  cried  Mrs.  Cliff. 

"I  can't  say  about  that,"  said  the  captain.  "But  if 
the  gold  is  no  deeper  than  my  arm  went  down  into  it, 
and  all  pure  metal  at  that,  why— bless  my  soul !— it 
would  make  anybody  crazy  to  try  to  calculate  how 
much  it  is  worth." 

"Xow,  then,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff,  "whom  does  all 
this  gold  belong  to?  We  have  found  it,  but  whose 
is  it?" 

"That  is  a  point  to  be  considered,"  said  the  cap 
tain.  "What  is  your  opinion?  " 

"I  have  been  thinking  and  thinking  and  thinking 
about  it,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff.  "Of  course,  that  would  have 
been  all  wasted,  though,  if  it  had  turned  out  to  be 
nothing  but  brass,  but  then,  I  could  not  help  it,  and  this 
is  the  conclusion  I  have  come  to  :  In  the  first  place,  >t 

101 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

does  not  belong  to  the  people  who  govern  Peru  now. 
They  are  descendants  of  the  very  Spaniards  that 
the  Incas  hid  their  treasure  from,  and  it  would  be 
a  shame  and  a  wickedness  to  let  them  have  it.  It 
would  better  stay  there  shut  up  for  more  centuries. 
Then,  again,  it  would  not  be  right  to  give  it  to  the 
Indians,  or  whatever  they  call  themselves,  though 
they  are  descendants  of  the  ancient  inhabitants,  for 
the  people  of  Spanish  blood  would  not  let  them  keep 
it  one  minute,  and  they  would  get  it,  after  all.  And, 
besides,  how  could  such  treasures  be  properly  divided 
among  a  race  of  wretched  savages?  It  would  be 
preposterous,  even  if  they  should  be  allowed  to  keep 
it.  They  would  drink  themselves  to  death,  and  it 
would  bring  nothing  but  misery  upon  them.  The 
Incas,  in  their  way,  were  good,  civilized  people,  and 
it  stands  to  reason  that  the  treasure  they  hid  away 
should  go  to  other  good,  civilized  people  when  the 
Incas  had  departed  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  Think 
of  the  good  that  could  be  done  with  such  wealth, 
should  it  fall  into  the  proper  hands !  Think  of  the 
good  to  the  poor  people  of  Peru,  with  the  right  kind 
of  mission  work  done  among  them !  I  tell  you  all 
that  the  responsibility  of  this  discovery  is  as  great  as 
its  value  in  dollars.  What  do  you  think  about  it, 
Edna?" 

"I  think  this,"  said  Miss  Markham :  "so  far  as  any 
of  us  have  anything  to  do  with  it,  it  belongs  to  Cap 
tain  Horn.  He  discovered  it,  and  it  is  his." 

"The  whole  of  it?"  cried  Kalph. 

"Yes,"  said  his  sister,  firmly,  "the  whole  of  it,  so 
far  as  we  are  concerned.  What  he  chooses  to  do  with 
it  is  his  affair,  and  whether  he  gets  every  bar  of  gold, 

102 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

or  only  a  reward  from  the  Peruvian  government,  it  is 
his,  to  do  what  he  pleases  with  it." 

"Now,  Edna,  I  am  amazed  to  hear  you  speak  of  the 
Peruvian  government,"  cried  Mrs.  Cliff.  "It  would  be 
nothing  less  than  a  crime  to  let  them  have  it,  or  even 
know  of  it." 

"What  do  you  think,  captain?  "  asked  Edna. 

"I  am  exactly  of  your  opinion,  Miss  Markham,"  he 
said.  "That  treasure  belongs  to  me.  I  discovered  it, 
and  it  is  for  me  to  decide  what  is  to  be  done  with 
it." 

"Now,  then,"  exclaimed  Ealph,  his  face  very  red,  "I 
differ  with  you  !  We  are  all  partners  in  this  business, 
and  it  isn't  fair  for  any  one  to  have  everything." 

"And  I  am  not  so  sure,  either,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff, 
"that  the  captain  ought  to  decide  what  is  to  be  done 
with  this  treasure.  Each  of  us  should  have  a  voice." 

"Mrs.  Cliff,  Miss  Markham,  and  Ealph,"  said  the 
captain,  "I  have  a  few  words  to  say  to  you,  and  I 
must  say  them  quickly,  for  I  see  those  black  fellows 
coming.  That  treasure  in  the  stone  mound  is  mine. 
I  discovered  the  mound,  and  no  matter  what  might 
have  been  in  it,  the  contents  would  have  been  mine. 
All  that  gold  is  just  as  much  mine  as  if  I  dug  it  in  a 
gold-mine  in  California,  and  we  won't  discuss  that 
question  any  further.  What  I  want  to  say  particu 
larly  is  that  it  may  seem  very  selfish  in  me  to  claim 
the  whole  of  that  treasure,  but  I  assure  you  that  that 
is  the  only  thing  to  be  done.  I  know  you  will  all 
agree  to  that  when  you  see  the  matter  in  the  proper 
light,  and  I  have  told  you  my  plans  about  it.  I  in 
tended  to  claim  all  that  treasure,  if  it  turned  out  to 
be  treasure.  I  made  up  my  mind  to  that  last  night, 

103 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

and  I  am  very  glad  Miss  Markham  told  me  her 
opinion  of  the  rights  of  the  thing  before  I  mentioned 
it.  Now,  I  have  just  got  time  to  say  a  few  words 
more.  If  there  should  be  any  discussion  about  the 
ownership  of  this  gold  and  the  way  it  ought  to  be 
divided,  there  would  be  trouble,  and  perhaps  bloody 
trouble.  There  are  those  black  fellows  coming  up 
here,  and  two  of  them  speak  English.  Eight  of  my 
men  went  away  in  a  boat,  and  they  may  come  back 
at  any  time.  And  then,  there  were  those  two  Cape  Cod 
men,  who  went  off  first.  They  may  have  reached  the 
other  side  of  the  mountains,  and  may  bring  us 
assistance  overland.  As  for  Davis,  I  know  he  will 
never  come  back.  Maka  brought  me  positive  proof 
that  he  was  killed  by  the  Rackbirds.  Now,  you  see 
my  point.  That  treasure  is  mine.  I  have  a  right  to 
it,  and  I  stand  by  that  right.  There  must  be  no  talk 
as  to  what  is  to  be  done  with  it,  I  shall  decide  what 
is  right,  and  I  shall  do  it,  and  no  man  shall  have  a 
word  to  say  about  it.  In  a  case  like  this  there  must 
be  a  head,  and  I  am  the  head." 

The  captain  had  been  speaking  rapidly  and  very 
earnestly,  but  now  his  manner  changed  a  little. 
Placing  his  hand  on  Ralph's  shoulder,  he  said  :  "Now 
don't  be  afraid,  my  boy,  that  you  and  your  sister  or 
Mrs.  Cliff  will  be  left  in  the  lurch.  If  there  were 
only  us  four,  there  would  be  no  trouble  at  all,  but  if 
there  is  any  talk  of  dividing,  there  may  be  a  lot  of 
men  to  deal  with,  and  a  hard  lot,  too.  And  now,  not 
a  word  before  these  men.— Maka,  that  is  a  fine  lot  of 
fire-wood  you  have  brought.  It  will  last  us  a  long 
time." 

The  African  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "Hope  not," 
104 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

he  said.     "Hope  Mr.  Rynders  come  soon.     Don't  want 
make  many  fires." 

As  Captain  Horn  walked  away  toward  Ralph's 
lookout,  he  could  not  account  to  himself  for  the 
strange  and  unnatural  state  of  his  feelings.  He  ought 
to  have  been  very  happy  because  he  had  discovered 
vast  treasures.  Instead  of  that  his  mind  was  troubled 
and  he  was  anxious  and  fearful.  One  reason  for  his 
state  of  mind  was  his  positive  knowledge  of  the  death 
of  Davis.  He  had  believed  him  dead  because  he  had 
not  come  back,  but  now  that  he  knew  the  truth,  the 
shock  seemed  as  great  as  if  he  had  not  suspected  it. 
He  had  liked  the  Englishman  better  than  any  of  his 
seamen,  and  he  was  a  man  he  would  have  been  glad 
to  have  had  with  him  now.  The  Cape  Cod  men  had 
been  with  him  but  a  short  time,  and  he  was  not  well 
acquainted  with  them.  It  was  likely,  too,  that  they 
were  dead  also,  for  they  had  not  taken  provisions  with 
them.  But  so  long  as  he  did  not  really  know  this,  the 
probability  could  not  lower  his  spirits. 

But  when  he  came  to  analyze  his  feelings,  which  he 
did  with  the  vigorous  directness  natural  to  him,  he 
knew  what  was  the  source  of  his  anxiety  and  dis 
quietude.  He  actually  feared  the  return  of  Rynders 
and  his  men  !  This  feeling  annoyed  and  troubled  him. 
He  felt  that  it  was  unworthy  of  him.  He  knew  that 
he  ought  to  long  for  the  arrival  of  his  mate,  for  in  no 
other  way  could  the  party  expect  help,  and  if  help 
did  not  arrive  before  the  provisions  of  the  Rackbirds 
were  exhausted,  the  whole  party  would  most  likely 
perish.  Moreover,  when  Rynders  and  his  men  came 
back,  they  would  come  to  rare  good  fortune,  for  there 
was  enough  gold  for  all  of  them. 

105 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

But,  in  spite  of  these  reasonable  conclusions,  the 
captain  was  afraid  that  Rynders  and  his  men  would 
return. 

"If  they  come  here,"  he  said  to  himself,  "they  will 
know  of  that  gold,  for  I  cannot  expect  to  keep  such 
fellows  out  of  the  cavern,  and  if  they  know  of  it,  it 
will  be  their  gold,  not  mine.  I  know  men,  especially 
those  men,  well  enough  for  that." 

And  so,  fearing  that  he  might  see  them  before  he 
was  ready  for  them, — and  how  he  was  going  to  make 
himself  ready  for  them  he  did  not  know,— he  stood  on 
the  lookout  and  scanned  the  ocean  for  Eynders  and 
his  men. 


106 


CHAPTER  XIV 

A  PILE  OF  FUEL 

FOUR  days  had  passed,  and  nothing  had  happened. 
The  stone  mound  in  the  lake  had  not  been  visited, 
for  there  had  been  no  reason  for  sending  the  black 
men  away,  and  with  one  of  them  nearer  than  a  mile 
the  captain  would  not  even  look  at  his  treasure.  There 
was  no  danger  that  they  would  discover  the  mound, 
for  they  were  not  allowed  to  take  the  lantern,  and  no 
one  of  them  would  care  to  wander  into  the  dark,  som 
bre  depths  of  the  cavern  without  a  light. 

The  four  white  people,  who,  with  a  fair  habitation 
in  the  rocks,  with  plenty  of  plain  food  to  eat,  with  six 
servants  to  wait  on  them,  and  a  climate  which  was 
continuously  delightful,  except  in  the  middle  of  the 
day,  and  with  all  fear  of  danger  from  man  or  beast 
removed  from  their  minds,  would  have  been  content 
to  remain  here  a  week  or  two  longer  and  await  the 
arrival  of  a  vessel  to  take  them  away,  were  now  in  a 
restless  and  impatient  condition  of  mind.  They  were 
all  eager  to  escape  from  the  place.  Three  of  them 
longed  for  the  return  of  Rynders,  but  the  other  one 
steadily  hoped  that  they  might  get  away  before  his 
men  came  back. 

107 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

How  to  do  this,  or  how  to  take  with  him  the  treasure 
of  the  Incas,  was  a  puzzling  question  with  which  the 
captain  racked  his  brains  by  day  and  by  night.  At 
last  he  bethought  himself  of  the  Eackbirds'  vessel. 
He  remembered  that  Maka  had  told  him  that  pro 
visions  were  brought  to  them  by  a  vessel,  and  there 
was  every  reason  to  suppose  that  when  these  mis 
creants  went  on  some  of  their  marauding  expeditions 
they  travelled  by  sea.  Day  by  day  he  had  thought 
that  he  would  go  and  visit  the  Rackbirds'  storehouse 
and  the  neighborhood  thereabout,  but  day  by  day  he 
had  been  afraid  that  in  his  absence  Kynders  might 
arrive,  and  when  he  came  he  wanted  to  be  there  to 
meet  him. 

But  now  the  idea  of  the  boat  made  him  brave  this 
possible  contingency,  and  early  one  morning,  with 
Cheditafa  and  two  other  of  the  black  fellows,  he  set 
off  along  the  beach  for  the  mouth  of  the  little  stream 
which,  rising  somewhere  in  the  mountains,  ran  down 
to  the  cavern  where  it  had  once  widened  and  deep 
ened  into  a  lake,  and  then  through  the  ravine  of  the 
Kackbirds  on  to  the  sea.  When  he  reached  his  des 
tination,  Captain  Horn  saw  a  great  deal  to  interest 
him. 

Just  beyond  the  second  ridge  of  rock  which  Maka 
had  discovered,  the  stream  ran  into  a  little  bay,  and 
the  shores  near  its  mouth  showed  evident  signs  that 
they  had  recently  been  washed  by  a  flood.  On  points 
of  rock  and  against  the  sides  of  the  sand  mounds,  he 
saw  bits  of  debris  from  the  Kackbirds'  camp.  Here 
were  sticks  which  had  formed  the  timbers  of  their 
huts ;  there  were  pieces  of  clothing  and  cooking- 
utensils  ;  and  here  and  there,  partly  buried  by  the 

108 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

shifting  sands,  were  seen  the  bodies  of  Kackbirds, 
already  desiccated  by  the  dry  air  and  the  hot  sun  of 
the  region.  But  the  captain  saw  no  vessel. 

"Dat  up  here,"  said  Cheditafa.  "Dey  hide  dat  well. 
Come  'long,  captain." 

Following  his  black  guide,  the  captain  skirted  a 
little  promontory  of  rocks,  and  behind  it  found  a  cove 
in  which,  well  concealed,  lay  the  Kackbirds'  vessel. 
It  was  a  sloop  of  about  twenty  tons,  and  from  the 
ocean,  or  even  from  the  beach,  it  could  not  be  seen. 
But  as  the  captain  stood  and  gazed  upon  this  craft  his 
heart  sank.  It  had  no  masts  nor  sails,  and  it  was  a 
vessel  that  could  not  be  propelled  by  oars. 

Wading  through  the  shallow  water,— for  it  was  now 
low  tide,— the  captain  climbed  on  board.  The  deck 
was  bare,  without  a  sign  of  spar  or  sail,  and  when, 
with  Cheditafa's  help,  he  had  forced  the  entrance  of 
the  little  companionway,  and  had  gone  below,  he 
found  that  the  vessel  had  been  entirely  stripped  of 
everything  that  could  be  carried  away,  and  when  he 
went  on  deck  again  he  saw  that  even  the  rudder  had 
been  unshipped  and  removed.  Cheditafa  could  give 
him  no  information  upon  this  state  of  things,  but  after 
a  little  while  Captain  Horn  imagined  the  cause  for 
this  dismantled  condition  of  the  sloop.  The  Kack 
birds'  captain  could  not  trust  his  men,  he  said  to  him 
self,  and  he  made  it  impossible  for  any  of  them  to 
escape  or  set  out  on  an  expedition  for  themselves.  It 
was  likely  that  the  masts  and  sails  had  been  carried  up 
to  the  camp,  from  which  place  it  would  have  been 
impossible  to  remove  them  without  the  leader  know 
ing  it. 

When  he  spoke  to  Cheditafa  on  the  subject,  the 

109 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

negro  told  him  that  after  the  little  ship  came  in  from 
one  of  its  voyages  he  and  his  companions  had  always 
carried  the  masts,  sails,  and  a  lot  of  other  things  up 
to  the  camp.  But  there  was  nothing  of  the  sort  there 
now.  Every  spar  and  sail  must  have  been  carried 
out  to  sea  by  the  flood,  for  if  they  had  been  left  on 
the  shores  of  the  stream  the  captain  would  have  seen 
them. 

This  was  hard  lines  for  Captain  Horn.  If  the  Kack- 
birds'  vessel  had  been  in  sailing  condition,  everything 
would  have  been  very  simple  and  easy  for  him.  He 
could  have  taken  on  board  not  only  his  own  party, 
but  a  large  portion  of  the  treasure,  and  could  have 
sailed  away  as  free  as  a  bird,  without  reference  to  the 
return  of  Rynders  and  his  men.  A  note  tied  to  a  pole 
set  up  in  a  conspicuous  place  on  the  beach  would  have 
informed  Mr.  Rynders  of  their  escape  from  the  place, 
and  it  was  not  likely  that  any  of  the  party  would 
have  thought  it  worth  while  to  go  farther  on  shore. 
But  it  was  of  no  use  to  think  of  getting  away  in  this 
vessel.  In  its  present  condition  it  was  absolutely 
useless. 

While  the  captain  had  been  thinking  and  consider 
ing  the  matter,  Cheditafa  had  been  wandering  about 
the  coast  exploring.  Presently  Captain  Horn  saw  him 
running  toward  him,  accompanied  by  the  two  other 
negroes. 

"'Nether  boat  over  there,"  cried  Cheditafa,  as  the 
captain  approached  him,— "'nother  boat,  but  badder 
than  this.  No  good.  Cook  with  it,  that's  all." 

The  captain  followed  Cheditafa  across  the  little 
stream,  and  a  hundred  yards  or  so  along  the  shore, 
and  over  out  of  reach  of  the  tide,  piled  against  a  low 

110 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

sand  mound,  he  saw  a  quantity  of  wood,  all  broken  into 
small  pieces,  and  apparently  prepared,  as  Cheditafa 
had  suggested,  for  cooking-fires.  It  was  also  easy  to 
see  that  these  pieces  of  wood  had  once  been  part  of  a 
boat,  perhaps  of  a  wreck  thrown  up  on  shore.  The 
captain  approached  the  pile  of  wood  and  picked  up 
some  of  the  pieces.  As  he  held  in  his  hand  a  bit  of 
gunwale,  not  much  more  than  a  foot  in  length,  his  eyes 
began  to  glisten  and  his  breath  came  quickly.  Hastily 
pulling  out  several  pieces  from  the  mass  of  debris,  he 
examined  them  thoroughly.  Then  he  stepped  back, 
and  let  the  piece  of  rudder  he  was  holding  drop  to  the 
sand. 

"Cheditafa,"  said  he,  speaking  huskily,  "this  is  one 
of  the  Castor's  boats.  This  is  a  piece  of  the  boat  in 
which  Rynders  and  the  men  set  out." 

The  negro  looked  at  the  captain  and  seemed  fright 
ened  by  the  expression  on  his  face.  For  a  moment 
he  did  not  speak,  and  then  in  a  trembling  voice  he 
asked,  "Where  all  them  now?" 

The  captain  shook  his  head,  but  said  nothing.  That 
pile  of  fragments  was  telling  him  a  tale  which  gradu 
ally  became  plainer  and  plainer  to  him,  and  which  he 
believed  as  if  Kynders  himself  had  been  telling  it  to 
him.  His  ship's  boat,  with  its  eight  occupants,  had 
never  gone  farther  south  than  the  mouth  of  the  little 
stream.  That  they  had  been  driven  on  shore  by  the 
stress  of  weather  the  captain  did  not  believe.  There 
had  been  no  high  winds  or  storms  since  their  depart 
ure.  "Most  likely  they  had  been  induced  to  land  by 
seeing  some  of  the  Kackbirds  on  shore,  and  they  had 
naturally  rowed  into  the  little  cove,  for  assistance  from 
their  fellow-beings  was  what  they  were  in  search  of. 

Ill 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

But  no  matter  how  they  happened  to  land,  the  Rack- 
birds  would  never  let  them  go  away  again  to  carry 
news  of  the  whereabouts  of  their  camp.  Almost  un 
armed,  these  sailors  must  have  fallen  easy  victims  to 
the  Rackbirds. 

It  was  not  unlikely  that  the  men  had  been  shot 
down  from  ambush  without  having  had  any  intercourse 
or  conversation  with  the  cruel  monsters  to  whom  they 
had  come  to  seek  relief,  for  had  there  been  any  talk 
between  them,  Rynders  would  have  told  of  his  com 
panions  left  on  shore,  and  these  would  have  been 
speedily  visited  by  the  desperadoes.  For  the  de 
struction  of  the  boat  there  was  reason  enough :  the 
captain  of  the  Rackbirds  gave  his  men  no  chance  to 
get  away  from  him. 

With  a  heart  of  lead,  Captain  Horn  turned  to  look 
at  his  negro  companions,  and  saw  them  all  sitting  to 
gether  on  the  sands,  chattering  earnestly,  and  holding 
up  their  hands  with  one  or  more  fingers  extended,  as 
if  they  were  counting.  Cheditafa  came  forward. 

"When  all  your  men  go  away  from  you?  "  he  asked. 

The  captain  reflected  a  moment,  and  then  answered, 
"About  two  weeks  ago." 

"That's  right !  That's  right ! "  exclaimed  the  negro, 
nodding  violently  as  he  spoke.  "We  talk  about  that. 
We  count  days.  It's  just  ten  days  and  three  days, 
and  Rackbirds  go  'way,  and  leave  us  high  up  in  rock- 
hole,  with  no  ladder.  After  a  while  we  hear  guns, 
guns,  guns.  Long  time  guns  shooting.  When  they 
come  back,  it  almost  dark,  and  they  want  supper  bad. 
All  time  they  eat  supper,  they  talk  'bout  shooting 
sharks.  Shot  lots  sharks,  and  chuck  them  into  the 
water.  Sharks  in  water  already  before  they  is  shot. 

112 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

We  say  then  it  no  sharks  they  shot.     Now  we  say  it 
must  been—" 

The  captain  turned  away.  He  did  not  want  to  hear 
any  more.  There  was  no  possible  escape  from  the 
belief  that  Eynders  and  all  his  men  had  been  shot 
down,  and  robbed,  if  they  had  anything  worth  taking, 
and  then  their  bodies  carried  out  to  sea,  most  likely 
in  their  own  boat,  and  thrown  overboard. 

There  was  nothing  more  at  this  dreadful  place  that 
Captain  Horn  wished  to  see,  to  consider,  or  to  do,  and 
calling  the  negroes  to  follow  him,  he  set  out  on  his 
return. 

During  the  dreary  walk  along  the  beach  the  captain's 
depression  of  spirits  was  increased  by  the  recollection 
of  his  thoughts  about  the  sailors  and  the  treasure.  He 
had  hoped  that  these  men  would  not  come  back  in 
time  to  interfere  with  his  disposal,  in  his  own  way,  of 
the  gold  he  had  found.  They  would  not  come  back 
now,  but  the  thought  did  not  lighten  his  heart.  But 
before  he  reached  the  caves,  he  had  determined  to 
throw  off  the  gloom  and  sadness  which  had  come  upon 
him.  Under  the  circumstances,  grief  for  what  had 
happened  was  out  of  place.  He  must  keep  up  a  good 
heart,  and  help  his  companions  to  keep  up  good  hearts. 
Now  he  must  do  something,  and,  like  a  soldier  in 
battle,  he  must  not  think  of  the  comrade  who  had 
fallen  beside  him,  but  of  the  enemy  in  front  of  him. 

When  he  reached  the  caves  he  found  supper  ready, 
and  that  evening  he  said  nothing  to  his  companions 
of  the  important  discoveries  he  had  made,  contenting 
himself  with  a  general  statement  of  the  proofs  that 
the  Eackbirds  and  their  camp  had  been  utterly  de 
stroyed  by  the  flood. 

113 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE    CLIFF-MAKA    SCHEME 

THE  next  morning  Captain  Horn  arose  with  a  plan  of 
action  in  his  mind,  and  he  was  now  ready,  not  only  to 
tell  the  two  ladies  and  Ralph  everything  he  had  dis 
covered,  but  also  what  he  was  going  to  do.  The  an 
nouncement  of  the  almost  certain  fate  of  Kynders  and 
his  men  filled  his  hearers  with  horror,  and  the  state 
ment  of  the  captain's  plans  did  not  tend  to  raise  their 
spirits. 

"You  see,"  said  he,  "there  is  nothing  now  for  us  to 
wait  for  here.  As  to  being  taken  off  by  a  passing  ves 
sel,  there  is  no  chance  of  that  whatever.  We  have 
gone  over  that  matter  before.  Nor  can  we  get  away 
overland,  for  some  of  us  would  die  on  the  way.  As  to 
that  little  boat  down  there,  we  cannot  all  go  to  sea  in 
her,  but  in  it  I  must  go  out  and  seek  for  help." 

"And  leave  us  here ! "  cried  Mrs.  Cliff.  "Do  not 
think  of  that,  captain  !  Whatever  happens,  let  us  all 
keep  together." 

"That  cannot  be,"  he  said.  "I  must  go  because  I 
am  the  only  seaman  among  you,  and  I  will  take  four 
of  those  black  fellows  with  me.  I  do  not  apprehend 

114 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

any  danger  unless  we  have  to  make  a  surf  landing, 
and  even  then  they  can  all  swim  like  fishes,  while  I 
am  very  well  able  to  take  care  of  myself  in  the  water. 
I  shall  sail  down  the  coast  until  I  come  to  a  port,  and 
there  put  in.  Then  I  will  get  a  vessel  of  some  sort 
and  come  back  for  you.  I  shall  leave  with  you  two  of 
these  negroes— Cheditafa,  who  seems  to  be  a  highly 
respectable  old  person,  and  can  speak  English,  and 
Mok,  who,  although  he  can't  talk  to  you,  can  under 
stand  a  great  deal  that  is  said  to  him.  Apart  from 
his  being  such  an  abject  coward,  he  seems  to  be  a  good, 
quiet  fellow,  willing  to  do  what  he  is  told.  On  the 
whole,  I  think  he  has  the  best  disposition  of  the  four 
black  dummies,  begging  their  pardons.  I  will  take 
the  three  others,  with  Maka  as  head  man  and  inter 
preter.  If  I  should  be  cast  on  shore  by  a  storm,  I  could 
swim  through  the  surf  to  the  dry  land,  but  I  could  not 
undertake  to  save  any  one  else.  If  this  misfortune 
should  happen,  we  could  make  our  way  on  foot  down 
the  coast/' 

"But  suppose  you  should  meet  some  Kackbirds?" 
cried  Kalph. 

"I  have  no  fear  of  that,"  answered  the  captain.  "I 
do  not  believe  there  is  another  set  of  such  scoundrels  on 
this  hemisphere.  So,  as  soon  as  I  can  get  that  boat  in 
order,  and  rig  up  a  mast  and  a,  sail  for  her,  I  shall  pro 
vision  her  well  and  set  out.  Of  course,  I  do  not  want 
to  leave  you  all  here,  but  there  is  no  help  for  it,  and 
I  don't  believe  you  need  have  the  slightest  fear  of 
harm.  Later,  we  will  plan  what  is  to  be  done  by  you 
and  by  me,  and  get  everything  clear  and  straight.  The 
first  thing  is  to  get  the  boat  ready,  and  I  shall  go  to 
work  on  that  to-day.  I  will  also  take  some  of  the 

115 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

negroes  down  to  the  Kackbirds'  camp,  and  bring  away 
more  stores." 

"Oh,  let  me  go  !  "  cried  Kalph.  "It  is  the  cruellest 
thing  in  the  world  to  keep  me  cooped  up  here.  I 
never  go  anywhere,  and  never  do  anything." 

But  the  captain  shook  his  head.  "I  am  sorry,  my 
boy,"  said  he,  "to  keep  you  back  so  much,  but  it  can 
not  be  helped.  When  I  go  away,  I  shall  make  it  a 
positive  condition  that  you  do  not  leave  your  sister 
and  Mrs.  Cliff,  and  I  do  not  want  you  to  begin  now." 
A  half-hour  afterwards,  when  the  captain  and  his 
party  had  set  out,  Kalph  came  to  his  sister  and  sat 
down  by  her. 

"Do  you  know,"  said  he,  "what  I  think  of  Captain 
Horn?  I  think  he  is  a  brave  man,  and  a  man  who 
knows  what  to  do  when  things  turn  up  suddenly,  but, 
for  all  that,  I  think  he  is  a  tyrant.  He  does  what  he 
pleases,  and  he  makes  other  people  do  what  he  pleases, 
and  consults  nobody." 

"My  dear  Ralph,"  said  Edna,  "if  you  knew  how 
glad  I  am  we  have  such  a  man  to  manage  things,  you 
would  not  think  in  that  way.  A  tyrant  is  just  what 
we  want  in  our  situation,  provided  he  knows  what 
ought  to  be  done,  and  I  think  that  Captain  Horn  does 
know." 

"That's  just  like  a  woman,"  said  Ealph.  "I  might 
have  expected  it." 

During  the  rest  of  that  day  and  the  morning  of  the 
next,  everybody  in  the  camp  worked  hard  and  did 
what  could  be  done  to  help  the  captain  prepare  for 
his  voyage,  and  even  Ralph,  figuratively  speaking, 
put  his  hand  to  the  oar. 

The  boat  was  provisioned  for  a  long  voyage,  though 

116 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  captain  hoped  to  make  a  short  one,  and  at  noon 
he  announced  that  he  would  set  out  late  that  afternoon. 

"It  will  be  flood-tide,  and  I  can  get  away  from  the 
coast  better  then  than  if  the  tide  were  coming  in." 

"How  glad  I  should  be  to  hear  you  peak  in  that 
way,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "if  we  were  only  going  with  you  ! 
But  to  be  left  here  seems  like  a  death  sentence  all 
around.  You  may  be  lost  at  sea  while  we  perish  on 
shore." 

"I  do  not  expect  anything  of  the  sort ! "  exclaimed 
Edna.  "With  Ralph  and  two  men  to  defend  us,  we 
can  stay  here  a  long  time.  As  for  the  captain's  being 
lost,  I  do  not  think  of  it  for  a  moment.  He  knows 
how  to  manage  a  boat  too  well  for  that." 

"I  don't  like  it  at  all !  I  don't  like  it  at  all ! "  ex 
claimed  Mrs.  Cliff.  "I  don't  expect  misfortunes  any 
more  than  other  people  do,  but  our  common  sense  tells 
us  they  may  come,  and  we  ought  to  be  prepared  for 
them.  Of  course,  you  are  a  good  sailor,  captain,  but 
if  it  should  happen  that  you  should  never  come  back, 
or  even  if  it  should  be  a  very  long  time  before  you 
come  back,  how  are  we  going  to  know  what  we  ought 
to  do  ?  As  far  as  I  know  the  party  you  leave  behind 
you,  we  would  all  be  of  different  opinions  if  any  emer 
gency  arose.  As  long  as  you  are  with  us,  I  feel  that, 
no  matter  what  happens,  the  right  thing  will  be  done. 
But  if  you  are  away — " 

At  this  moment  Mrs.  Cliff  was  interrupted  by  the 
approach  of  Maka,  who  wished  very  much  to  speak  to 
the  captain.  As  the  negro  was  not  a  man  who  would 
be  likely  to  interrupt  a  conversation  except  for  an 
important  reason,  the  captain  followed  him  to  a  lit 
tle  distance.  There  he  found,  to  his  surprise,  that 

117 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

although  he  had  left  one  person  to  speak  to  another, 
the  subject  was  not  changed. 

"Cap'n,"  said  Maka,  "when  you  go  'way,  who's 
boss?" 

The  captain  frowned,  and  yet  he  could  not  help 
feeling  interested  in  this  anxiety  regarding  his  suc 
cessor.  "Why  do  you  ask  that?"  he  said.  "What 
difference  does  it  make  who  gives  you  your  orders 
when  I  am  gone?  " 

Maka  shook  his  head.  "Big  difference,"  he  said. 
"Cheditafa  don'  like  boy  for  boss.  He  wan'  me  tell 
you,  if  boy  is  boss,  he  don'  wan'  stay.  He  wan'  go 
'long  you." 

"You  can  tell  Cheditafa,"  said  the  captain,  quickly, 
"that  if  I  want  him  to  stay  he'll  stay,  and  if  I  want 
him  to  go  he'll  go.  He  has  nothing  to  say  about  that. 
So  much  for  him.  Now,  what  do  you  think  ? " 

"Like  boy,"  said  Maka,  "but  not  for  boss." 

The  captain  was  silent  for  a  moment.  Here  was  a 
matter  which  really  needed  to  be  settled.  If  he  had 
felt  that  he  had  authority  to  do  as  he  pleased,  he 
would  have  settled  it  in  a  moment. 

"Cap'n  big  man.  He  know  everyt'ing,"  said  Maka. 
"But  when  cap'n  go  'way,  boy  t'ink  he  big  man. 
Boy  know  nothin'.  Better  have  woman  for  boss." 

Captain  Horn  could  not  help  being  amused. 
"Which  woman?"  he  asked. 

"I  say  old  one.     Cheditafa  say  young  one." 

The  captain  was  not  a  man  who  would  readily  dis 
cuss  his  affairs  with  any  one,  especially  with  such  a  man 
as  Maka ;  but  now  the  circumstances  were  peculiar, 
and  he  wanted  to  know  the  opinions  of  these  men  he 
was  about  to  leave  behind  him. 

118 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"What  made  you  and  Cheditafa  think  that  way  ?  " 
he  asked. 

"I  t'ink  old  one  know  more/'  replied  the  negro, 
"and  Cheditafa  t'ink  wife  make  bes'  boss  when  cap'n 
gone,  and  young  one  make  bes'  wife." 

"You  impertinent  black  scoundrels ! "  exclaimed 
the  captain,  taking  a  step  toward  Maka,  who  bounced 
backward  a  couple  of  yards.  "What  do  you  mean  by 
talking  about  Miss  Markham  and  me  in  that  way? 
I'll—"  But  there  he  paused.  It  would  not  be  con 
venient  to  knock  the  heads  off  these  men  at  this  time. 
"Cheditafa  must  be  a  very  great  fool,"  said  he,  speak 
ing  more  quietly.  "Does  he  suppose  I  could  call  any 
body  my  wife  just  for  the  sake  of  giving  you  two  men 
a  boss? " 

"Oh,  Cheditafa  know  ! "  exclaimed  Maka,  but  with 
out  coming  any  nearer  the  captain.  "He  know  many, 
many  t'ings,  but  he  'fraid  come  tell  you  hisself." 

"I  should  think  he  would  be,"  replied  the  captain, 
"and  I  wonder  you  are  not  afraid,  too." 

"Oh,  I  is,  I  is,"  said  Maka.  "I's  all  w'ite  inside. 
But  somebody  got  speak  boss  'fore  he  go  'way.  If  no 
body  speak,  den  you  go  'way— no  boss.  All  crooked. 
Nobody  b'long  to  anybody.  Den  maybe  men  come 
down  from  mountain,  or  maybe  men  come  in  boat,  and 
dey  say, '  Who's  all  you  people  ?  Who  you  b'long  to  ? ' 
Den  dey  say  dey  don'  b'long  nobody  but  demselves. 
Den,  mos'  like,  de  w'ite  ones  gets  killed  for  dey 
clothes  and  dey  money.  And  Cheditafa  and  me  we 
gets  tuck  somew'ere  to  be  slaves.  But  if  we  say, ( Dat 
lady  big  Cap'n  Horn's  wife— all  de  t'ings  and  de  people 
b'long  to  big  he'— hi !  dey  men  hands  off— dey  shake 
in  de  legs.  Everybody  know  big  Cap'n  Horn." 

119 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

The  captain  could  not  help  laughing.  "I  believe 
you  are  as  big  a  fool  as  Cheditafa,"  said  he.  "Don't  you 
know  I  can't  make  a  woman  my  wife  just  by  calling 
her  so ! " 

"Don'  mean  dat!"  exclaimed  Maka.  "Cheditafa 
don'  mean  dat.  He  make  all  right.  He  priest  in  he 
own  country.  He  marry  people.  He  marry  you  'fore 
you  go,  all  right.  He  talk  'bout  dat  mos'  all  night, 
but  'fraid  come  tell  cap'n." 

The  absurdity  of  this  statement  was  so  great  that  it 
made  the  captain  laugh  instead  of  making  him  angry  ; 
but  before  he  could  say  anything  more  to  Maka,  Mrs. 
Cliff  approached  him.  "You  must  excuse  me,  cap 
tain,"  she  said,  "but  really  the  time  is  very  short,  and 
I  have  a  great  deal  to  say  to  you,  and  if  you  have 
finished  joking  with  that  colored  man,  I  wish  you 
would  talk  with  me." 

"You  will  laugh,  too,"  said  the  captain,  "when  you 
hear  what  he  said  to  me."  And  in  a  few  words  he 
told  her  what  Maka  had  proposed. 

Instead  of  laughing,  Mrs.  Cliff  stood  staring  at  him 
in  silent  amazement. 

"I  see  I  have  shocked  you,"  said  the  captain,  "but 
you  must  remember  that  that  is  only  a  poor  heathen's 
ignorant  vagary.  Please  say  nothing  about  it,  espe 
cially  to  Miss  Markham." 

"Say  nothing  about  it!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff.  "I 
wish  I  had  a  thousand  tongues  to  talk  of  it.  Captain, 
do  you  really  believe  that  Cheddy  man  is  a  priest,  or 
what  goes  for  one  in  his  own  country  ?  If  he  is,  he 
ought  to  marry  you  and  Edna." 

The  captain  frowned,  with  an  air  of  angry  impa 
tience.  "I  could  excuse  that  poor  negro,  madam,"  he 

120 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

said,  "when  he  made  such  a  proposition  to  me,  but  I 
must  say  I  did  not  expect  anything  of  the  kind  from 
you.  Do  you  think,  even  if  we  had  a  bishop  with  us, 
that  I  would  propose  to  marry  any  woman  in  the 
world  for  the  sake  of  making  her  what  that  fellow 
called  the  'boss'  of  this  party?" 

It  was  now  Mrs.  Cliff's  turn  to  be  impatient.  "That 
boss  business  is  a  very  small  matter,"  she  replied, 
"although,  of  course,  somebody  must  be  head  while 
you  are  gone,  and  it  was  about  this  that  I  came  to  see 
you.  But  after  hearing  what  that  colored  man  said,  I 
want  to  speak  of  something  far  more  important,  which 
I  have  been  thinking  and  thinking  about,  and  to  which 
I  could  see  no  head  or  tail  until  a  minute  ago.  Before  I 
go  on,  I  want  you  to  answer  me  this  question :  If  you 
are  lost  at  sea,  and  never  come  back,  what  is  to  become 
of  that  treasure  ?  It  is  yours  now,  as  you  let  us  know 
plainly  enough,  but  whose  will  it  be  if  you  should 
die  ?  It  may  seem  like  a  selfish  and  sordid  thing  for 
me  to  talk  to  you  in  this  way  just  before  you  start  on 
such  an  expedition,  but  I  am  a  business  woman, — since 
my  husband's  death  I  have  been  obliged  to  be  that,— 
and  I  look  at  things  with  a  business  eye.  Have  you 
considered  this  matter!" 

"Yes,  I  have,"  answered  the  captain,  "very  seri 
ously." 

"And  so  have  I,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff.  "Whether  Edna 
has  or  not  I  don't  know,  for  she  has  said  nothing  to 
me.  Now,  we  are  not  related  to  you,  and,  of  course, 
have  no  claim  upon  you  in  that  way,  but  I  do  think 
that,  as  we  have  all  suffered  together,  and  gone  through 
dangers  together,  we  all  ought  to  share,  in  some  degree 
at  least,  in  good  things  as  well  as  bad  ones." 

121 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Mrs.  Cliff,"  said  the  captain,  speaking  very  ear 
nestly,  "you  need  not  say  anything  more  on  that  sub 
ject.  I  have  taken  possession  of  that  treasure,  and  I 
intend  to  hold  it,  in  order  that  I  may  manage  things 
in  my  own  way,  and  avoid  troublesome  disputes.  But 
I  have  not  the  slightest  idea  of  keeping  it  all  for  my 
self.  I  intend  that  everybody  who  has  had  any  con 
cern  in  this  expedition  shall  have  a  share  in  it.  I  have 
thought  over  the  matter  a  great  deal,  and  intended, 
before  I  left,  to  tell  you  and  Miss  Markham  what  I 
have  decided  upon.  Here  is  a  paper  I  have  drawn  up. 
It  is  my  will.  It  is  written  in  lead-pencil  and  may  not 
be  legal,  but  it  is  the  best  I  can  do.  I  have  no  rela 
tives,  except  a  few  second  cousins  somewhere  out  in 
the  Northwest,  and  I  don't  want  them  to  have  any 
thing  to  do  directly  with  my  property,  for  they  would 
be  sure  to  make  trouble.  Here,  as  you  see,  I  leave  to 
you,  Miss  Markham,  and  Ealph  all  the  property,  of 
every  kind  and  description,  of  which  I  may  die  pos 
sessed.  This,  of  course,  would  cover  all  treasure  you 
may  be  able  to  take  away  from  this  place,  and  which, 
without  this  will,  might  be  claimed  by  some  of  my 
distant  relatives,  if  they  should  ever  chance  to  hear 
the  story  of  my  discovery. 

"Besides  this,  I  have  written  here,  on  another  page 
of  this  note-book,  a  few  private  directions  as  to  how  I 
want  the  treasure  disposed  of.  I  say  nothing  definite, 
and  mention  no  exact  sums,  but,  in  a  general  way,  I 
have  left  everything  in  the  hands  of  you  two  ladies. 
I  know  that  you  will  make  a  perfectly  just  and  gen 
erous  disposition  of  what  you  may  get." 

"That  is  all  very  kind  and  good  of  you,"  said  Mrs. 
Cliff,  "but  I  cannot  believe  that  such  a  will  would  be 

122 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

of  much  service.  If  you  have  relatives  you  are  afraid 
of,— and  I  see  you  have,— if  Edna  Markham  were  your 
widow,  then  by  law  she  would  get  a  good  part  of  it, 
even  if  she  did  not  get  it  all,  and  if  Edna  got  it,  we 
would  be  perfectly  satisfied." 

"It  is  rather  a  grim  business  to  talk  about  Miss 
Markham  being  my  widow,"  said  the  captain,  "espe 
cially  under  such  circumstances.  It  strikes  me  that 
the  kind  of  marriage  you  propose  would  be  a  good 
deal  flimsier  than  this  will." 

"It  does  not  strike  me  so,"  said  she.  "A  mere  con 
fession  before  witnesses  by  a  man  and  woman  that 
they  are  willing  to  take  each  other  for  husband  and 
wife  is  often  a  legal  ceremony,  and  if  there  is  any  kind 
of  a  religious  person  present  to  perform  the  ceremony, 
it  helps,  and  in  a  case  like  this  no  stone  should  be  left 
unturned.  You  see,  you  have  assumed  a  great  deal  of 
responsibility  about  this.  You  have  stated — and  if  we 
were  called  upon  to  testify,  Miss  Markham  and  I  would 
have  to  acknowledge  that  you  have  so  stated— that 
you  claimed  this  treasure  as  your  discovery,  and  that 
it  all  belonged  to  you.  So,  you  see,  if  we  keep  our 
consciences  clear,— and  no  matter  what  happens,  we 
are  going  to  do  that,— we  might  be  obliged  to  testify 
every  cent  of  it  away  from  ourselves.  But  if  Edna 
were  your  wife,  it  would  be  all  right." 

The  captain  stood  silent  for  a  few  moments,  his 
hands  thrust  into  his  pockets,  and  a  queer  smile  on  his 
face.  "Mrs.  Cliff,"  said  he,  presently,  "do  you  expect 
me  to  go  to  Miss  Markham  and  gravely  propose  this 
scheme  which  you  and  that  half-tamed  African  have 
concocted  1 " 

"I  think  it  would  be  better,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "if  I 
123 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

were  to  prepare  her  mind  for  it.     I  will  go  speak  to 
her  now." 

"No/'  said  he,  quickly,  "don't  you  do  that.  If  the 
crazy  idea  is  to  be  mentioned  to  her  at  all,  I  want  to 
do  it  myself,  and  in  my  own  way.  I  will  go  to  her 
now.  I  have  had  my  talk  with  you,  and  I  must  have 
one  with  her." 


124 


CHAPTER  XVI 

ON   A  BUSINESS   BASIS 

CAPTAIN  HORN  found  Edna  at  the  entrance  to  the 
caves,  busily  employed  in  filling  one  of  the  Rackbirds' 
boxes  with  ship-biscuit. 

"Miss  Markham,"  said  he,  "I  wish  to  have  a  little 
business  talk  with  you  before  I  leave.  Where  is 
Ralph?" 

"He  is  down  at  the  boat,"  she  answered. 

"Very  good,"  said  he.     "Will  you  step  this  way?" 

When  they  were  seated  together  in  the  shade  of 
some  rocks,  he  stated  to  Edna  what  he  had  planned  in 
case  he  should  lose  his  life  in  his  intended  expedition, 
and  showed  her  the  will  he  had  made,  and  also  the 
directions  for  herself  and  Mrs.  Cliff.  Edna  listened 
very  attentively,  occasionally  asking  for  an  explana 
tion,  but  offering  no  opinion.  When  he  had  finished, 
she  was  about  to  say  something,  but  he  interrupted 
her. 

"Of  course,  I  want  to  know  your  opinion  about  all 
this,"  he  said,  "but  not  yet.  I  have  more  to  say. 
There  has  been  a  business  plan  proposed  by  two 
members  of  our  party  which  concerns  me,  and  when 

125 


anything  is  told  concerning  me,  I  want  to  know  how 
it  is  told,  or,  if  possible,  tell  it  myself." 

And  then,  as  concisely  as  possible,  he  related  to  her 
Maka's  anxiety  in  regard  to  the  boss  question,  and  his 
method  of  disposing  of  the  difficulty,  and  afterwards 
Mrs.  Cliff's  anxiety  about  the  property,  in  case  of 
accident  to  himself,  and  her  method  of  meeting  the 
contingency. 

During  this  recital  Edna  Markham  said  not  one 
word.  To  portions  of  the  narrative  she  listened  with 
an  eager  interest ;  then  her  expression  became  hard, 
almost  stern ;  and  finally  her  cheeks  grew  red,  but 
whether  with  anger  or  some  other  emotion  the  captain 
did  not  know.  When  he  had  finished,  she  looked 
steadily  at  him  for  a  few  moments,  and  then  she  said  : 

"Captain  Horn,  what  you  have  told  me  are  the 
plans  and  opinions  of  others.  It  seems  to  me  that  you 
are  now  called  upon  to  say  something  for  yourself." 

"I  am  quite  ready  to  do  that,"  he  answered.  "A 
half-hour  ago  I  had  never  thought  of  such  a  scheme  as 
I  have  laid  before  you.  When  I  heard  it,  I  considered 
it  absurd,  and  mentioned  it  to  you  only  because  I  was 
afraid  I  would  be  misrepresented.  But  since  putting 
the  matter  to  you,  even  while  I  have  been  just  now 
talking,  I  have  grown  to  be  entirely  in  favor  of  it.  But 
I  want  you  to  thoroughly  understand  my  views  on  the 
subject,  If  this  marriage  is  to  be  performed,  it  will 
be  strictly  a  business  affair,  entered  into  for  the  pur 
pose  of  securing  to  you  and  others  a  fortune,  large  or 
small,  which,  without  this  marriage,  might  be  taken 
from  you.  In  other  words,"  said  he,  "you  are  to  be 
looked  upon  in  this  affair  in  the  light  of  my  prospec 
tive  widow." 

126 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

For  a  moment  the  flush  on  the  face  of  the  young 
woman  faded  away,  but  it  quickly  returned.  Ap 
parently  involuntarily,  she  rose  to  her  feet.  Turning 
to  the  captain,  who  also  rose,  she  said  : 

"But  there  is  another  way  in  which  the  affair  would 
have  to  be  looked  at.  Suppose  I  should  not  become 
your  widow  ?  Suppose  you  should  not  be  lost  at  sea, 
and  should  come  back  safely  f  " 

The  captain  drew  a  deep  breath,  and  folded  his  arms 
upon  his  chest.  "Miss  Markham,"  said  he,  "if  this 
marriage  should  take  place,  it  would  be  entirely 
different  from  other  marriages.  If  I  should  not  re 
turn,  and  it  should  be  considered  legal,  it  may  make 
you  all  rich  and  happy.  If  it  should  not  hold  good, 
we  can  only  think  we  have  done  our  best.  But  as  to 
anything  beyond  this,  or  to  any  question  of  my  return, 
or  any  other  question  in  connection  with  the  matter, 
our  minds  should  be  shut  and  locked.  This  matter  is 
a  business  proposition,  and  as  such  I  lay  it  before  you. 
If  we  adopt  it,  we  do  so  for  certain  reasons,  and  beyond 
those  reasons  neither  of  us  is  qualified  to  go.  We 
should  keep  our  eyes  fixed  upon  the  main  point,  and 
think  of  nothing  else." 

"Something  else  must  be  looked  at,"  said  Edna. 
"It  is  just  as  likely  that  you  will  come  back  as  that 
you  will  be  lost  at  sea." 

"This  plan  is  based  entirely  on  the  latter  supposi 
tion,"  replied  the  captain.  "It  has  nothing  to  do  with 
the  other.  If  we  consider  it  at  all,  we  must  consider 
it  in  that  light." 

"But  we  must  consider  it  in  the  other  light,"  she 
said.  She  was  now  quite  pale,  and  her  face  had  a 
certain  sternness  about  it. 

127 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

"I  positively  refuse  to  do  that,"  he  said.  "I  will  not 
think  about  it,  or  say  one  word  about  it.  I  will  not 
even  refer  to  any  future  settlement  of  that  question. 
The  plan  I  present  rests  entirely  upon  my  non 
return." 

"But  if  you  do  return?"  persisted  Edna. 

The  captain  smiled  and  shook  his  head.  "You  must 
excuse  me,"  he  said,  "but  I  can  say  nothing  about 
that." 

She  looked  steadily  at  him  for  a  few  moments,  and 
then  she  said  :  "Very  well,  we  will  say  nothing  about 
it.  As  to  the  plan  which  has  been  devised  to  give  us, 
in  case  of  accident  to  you,  a  sound  claim  to  the  treas 
ure  which  has  been  found  here,  and  to  a  part  of 
which  I  consider  I  have  a  right,  I  consent  to  it.  I  do 
this  believing  that  I  should  share  in  the  wonderful 
treasures  in  that  cave.  I  have  formed  prospects  for 
my  future  which  would  make  my  life  a  thousand  times 
better  worth  living  than  I  ever  supposed  it  would  be, 
and  I  do  not  wish  to  interfere  with  those  prospects. 
I  want  them  to  become  realities.  Therefore,  I  con 
sent  to  your  proposition,  and  I  will  marry  you  upon 
a  business  basis,  before  you  leave." 

"Your  hand  upon  it,"  said  the  captain ;  and  she 
gave  him  a  hand  so  cold  that  it  chilled  his  own.  "Now 
I  will  go  talk  to  Maka  and  Cheditafa,"  he  said.  "Of 
course,  we  understand  that  it  may  be  of  no  advantage 
to  have  this  coal-black  heathen  act  as  officiating  clergy 
man,  but  it  can  do  no  harm,  and  we  must  take  the 
chances.  I  have  a  good  deal  to  do,  and  no  time  to 
lose  if  I  am  to  get  away  on  the  flood-tide  this  after 
noon.  Will  it  suit  you  if  I  get  everything  ready  to 
start,  and  we  then  have  the  ceremony  ?  " 

128 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Oh,  certainly,"  replied  Edna.  "Any  spare  moment 
will  suit  me." 

When  he  had  gone,  Edna  Markham  sat  down  on 
the  rock  again.  With  her  hands  clasped  in  her  lap, 
she  gazed  at  the  sand  at  her  feet. 

"Without  a  minute  to  think  of  it,"  she  said  to  her 
self,  presently,— "without  any  consideration  at  all. 
And  now  it  is  done  !  It  was  not  like  me.  I  do  not 
know  myself.  But  yes  ! "  she  exclaimed,  speaking  so 
that  any  one  near  might  have  heard  her,  "I  do  know 
myself.  I  said  it  because  I  was  afraid,  if  I  did  not 
say  it  then,  I  should  never  be  able  to  say  it." 

If  Captain  Horn  could  have  seen  her  then,  a  misty 
light,  which  no  man  can  mistake,  shining  in  her  eyes 
as  she  gazed  out  over  everything  into  nothing,  he 
might  not  have  been  able  to  confine  his  proposition  to 
a  strictly  business  basis. 

She  sat  a  little  longer,  and  then  she  hurried  away  to 
finish  the  work  on  which  she  had  been  engaged ;  but 
when  Mrs.  Cliff  came  to  look  for  her,  she  did  not  find 
her  packing  provisions  for  the  captain's  cruise,  but 
sitting  alone  in  one  of  the  inner  caves. 

"What,  crying!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff.  "Now,  let 
me  tell  you,  my  dear  child,  I  do  not  feel  in  the  least 
like  crying.  The  captain  has  told  me  that  everything 
is  all  right  between  you,  and  the  more  I  think  of  it, 
the  more  firmly  I  believe  that  it  is  the  grandest  thing 
that  could  have  happened.  For  some  reason  or  other, 
and  I  am  sure  I  cannot  tell  you  why,  I  do  not  believe 
at  all  that  the  captain  is  going  to  be  shipwrecked  in 
that  little  boat.  Before  this  I  felt  sure  we  should 
never  see  him  again,  but  now  I  haven't  a  doubt  that 
he  will  get  somewhere  all  right,  and  that  he  will  come 

129 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

back  all  right,  and  if  he  does  it  will  be  a  grand  match. 
"Why,  Edna  child,  if  Captain  Horn  never  gets  away 
with  a  stick  of  that  gold,  it  will  be  a  most  excellent 
match.  Now,  I  believe  in  my  heart,"  she  continued, 
sitting  down  by  Edna,  "that  when  you  accepted  Cap 
tain  Horn  you  expected  him  to  come  back.  Tell 
me  isn't  that  true?" 

At  that  instant  Miss  Markham  gave  a  little  start 
"Mrs.  Cliff,"  she  exclaimed,  "there  is  Kalph  calling 
me.  Won't  you  go  and  tell  him  all  about  it?  Hurry, 
before  he  comes  in  here." 

When  Kalph  Markham  heard  what  had  happened 
while  he  was  down  at  the  beach,  he  grew  so  furiously 
angry  that  he  could  not  find  words  in  which  to  express 
himself. 

"That  Captain  Horn,"  he  cried,  when  speech  came 
to  him,  "is  the  most  despotic  tyrant  on  the  face  of  the 
earth  !  He  tells  people  what  they  are  to  do,  and  they 
simply  go  and  do  it.  The  next  thing  he  will  do  is  to 
tell  you  to  adopt  me  as  a  son.  Marry  Edna !  My 
sister !  And  I  not  know  it !  And  she,  just  because 
he  asks  her,  must  go  and  marry  him.  Well,  that  is 
just  like  a  woman." 

With  savage  strides  he  was  about  marching  back 
to  the  beach,  when  Mrs.  Cliff  stopped  him. 

"Now,  don't  make  everybody  unhappy,  Ralph,"  she 
said,  "but  just  listen  to  me.  I  want  to  tell  you  all 
about  this  matter." 

It  took  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to  make  clear 
to  the  ruffled  mind  of  Kalph  the  powerful,  and  in  Mrs. 
Cliffs  eyes  the  imperative,  reasons  for  the  sudden 
and  unpremeditated  matrimonial  arrangements  of  the 
morning.  But  before  she  had  finished,  the  boy  grew 

130 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

quieter,  and  there  appeared  upon  his  face  some  ex 
pressions  of  astute  sagacity. 

"Well,"  said  he,  "when  you  first  put  this  business 
to  me,  it  was  tail  side  up,  but  now  you've  got  heads 
up  it  looks  a  little  different.  He  will  be  drowned,  as 
like  as  not,  and  then  I  suppose  we  can  call  our  souls 
our  own,  and  if,  besides  that,  we  can  call  a  lot  of  those 
chunks  of  gold  our  own,  we  ought  not  to  grumble. 
All  right.  I  won't  forbid  the  banns.  But,  between 
you  and  me,  I  think  the  whole  thing  is  stuff  and 
nonsense.  What  ought  I  to  call  him?  Brother 
Horn?" 

"Now,  don't  say  anything  like  that,  Ealph,"  urged 
Mrs.  Cliff,  "and  don't  make  yourself  disagreeable  in 
any  way.  This  is  a  very  serious  time  for  all  of  us,  and 
I  am  sure  that  you  will  not  do  anything  which  will 
hurt  your  sister's  feelings." 

"Oh,  don't  be  afraid,"  said  Kalph.  "I'm  not  going 
to  hurt  anybody's  feelings.  But  when  I  first  meet 
that  man,  I  hope  I  may  be  able  to  keep  him  from 
knowing  what  I  think  of  him." 

Five  minutes  later  Kalph  heard  the  voice  of  Cap 
tain  Horn  calling  him.  The  voice  came  from  the 
opening  in  the  caves,  and  instantly  Kalph  turned  and 
walked  toward  the  beach.  Again  came  the  voice, 
louder  than  before  :  "Ralph,  I  want  you."  The  boy 
stopped,  put  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  and  shrugged 
his  shoulders,  then  he  slowly  turned. 

"If  I  were  bigger,"  he  said  to  himself,  "I'd  thrash 
him  on  the  spot.  Then  I'd  feel  easier  in  my  mind,  and 
things  could  go  on  as  they  pleased.  But  as  I  am  not 
six  feet  high  yet,  I  suppose  I  might  as  well  go  to  see 
what  he  wants." 

131 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Ralph,"  said  the  captain,  as  soon  as  the  boy 
reached  him,  "I  see  Mrs.  Cliff  has  been  speaking  to 
you,  and  so  you  know  about  the  arrangements  that 
have  been  made.  But  I  have  a  great  deal  to  do 
before  I  can  start,  and  I  want  you  to  help  me.  I  am 
now  going  to  the  mound  in  the  cave  to  get  out  some 
of  that  gold,  and  I  don't  want  anybody  but  you  to  go 
with  me.  I  have  just  sent  all  the  negroes  down  to  the 
beach  to  carry  things  to  the  boat,  and  we  must  be 
quick  about  our  business.  You  take  this  leather  bag. 
It  is  Mrs.  Cliff's,  but  I  think  it  is  strong  enough.  The 
lantern  is  lighted,  so  come  on." 

To  dive  into  a  treasure  mound  Ralph  would  have 
followed  a  much  more  ruthless  tyrant  than  Captain 
Horn,  and  although  he  made  no  remarks,  he  went 
willingly  enough.  "When  they  had  climbed  the  mound, 
and  the  captain  had  lifted  the  stone  from  the  opening 
in  the  top,  Kalph  held  the  lantern  while  the  captain, 
reaching  down  into  the  interior,  set  himself  to  work 
to  fill  the  bag  with  the  golden  ingots.  As  the  boy 
gazed  down  upon  the  mass  of  dull  gold,  his  heart 
swelled  within  him.  His  feeling  of  indignant  resent 
ment  began  to  disappear  rapidly  before  the  growing 
consciousness  that  he  was  to  be  the  brother-in-law  of 
the  owner  of  all  that  wealth.  As  soon  as  the  bag  was 
filled,  the  stone  was  replaced,  and  the  two  descended 
from  the  mound,  the  captain  carefully  holding  the 
heavy  bag  under  his  arm,  for  he  feared  the  weight 
might  break  the  handle.  Then,  extinguishing  the 
lantern  as  soon  as  they  could  see  their  way  without 
it,  they  reached  the  innermost  cave  before  any  of  the 
negroes  returned.  Neither  Mrs.  Cliff  nor  Edna  was 

132 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

there,  and  the  captain  placed  his  burden  behind  a 
piece  of  rock. 

"Captain,"  said  the  boy,  his  eyes  glistening,  "there 
must  be  a  fortune  in  that  bag  ! " 

The  captain  laughed.  "Oh,  no,"  said  he,  "not  a  very 
large  one.  I  have  had  a  good  deal  of  experience  with 
gold  in  California,  and  I  suppose  each  one  of  those 
little  bars  is  worth  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to 
three  hundred  dollars.  What  we  have  represents  a 
good  deal  of  money.  But  now,  Kalph,  I  have  some 
thing  very  important  to  say  to  you.  I  am  going  to 
appoint  you  sole  guardian  and  keeper  of  that  treasure. 
You  are  very  young  to  have  such  a  responsibility  put 
upon  you,  but  I  know  you  will  feel  the  importance  of 
your  duty,  and  that  you  will  not  be  forgetful  or  negli 
gent  about  it.  The  main  thing  is  to  keep  those  two 
negroes,  and  anybody  who  may  happen  to  come  here, 
away  from  the  mound.  Do  what  you  can  to  prevent 
any  one  exploring  the  cave,  and  don't  let  the  negroes 
go  there  for  water.  They  now  know  the  way  over  the 
rocks  to  the  stream. 

"If  I  should  not  come  back,  or  a  ship  should  come 
along  and  take  you  off  before  I  return,  you  must  all 
be  as  watchful  as  cats  about  that  gold.  Don't  let 
anybody  see  a  piece  of  it.  You  three  must  carry  away 
with  you  as  much  as  you  can,  but  don't  let  any  one 
know  yoii  are  taking  it.  Of  course,  I  expect  to  come 
back  and  attend  to  the  whole  business,  but  if  I  should 
not  be  heard  from  for  a  long  time,— and  if  that  is  the 
case,  you  may  be  sure  I  am  lost,— and  you  should  get 
away,  I  will  trust  to  your  sister  and  you  to  get  up  an 
expedition  to  come  back  for  it." 

133 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

Ralph  drew  himself  up  as  high  as  circumstances 
would  permit,  "Captain,"  said  he,  "you  may  count 
on  me.  I'll  keep  an  eye  on  those  black  fellows,  and 
on  anybody  else  who  may  come  here." 

"Very  good,"  said  the  captain.  "I  am  sure  you  will 
never  forget  that  you  are  the  guardian  of  all  our  for 
tunes." 


134 


CHAPTER  XVII 

"A  FINE  THING,   NO  MATTER  WHAT  H APPENS" 

AFTER  the  noonday  meal,  on  the  day  of  Captain 
Horn's  departure,  Mrs.  Cliff  went  apart  with  Maka 
and  Cheditafa,  and  there  endeavored  to  find  out,  as 
best  she  might,  the  ideas  and  methods  of  the  latter  in 
regard  to  the  matrimonial  service.  In  spite  of  the 
combined  efforts  of  the  two,  with  their  limited  com 
mand  of  English,  to  make  her  understand  how  these 
things  were  done  in  the  forests  and  wilds  of  the  Dark 
Continent,  she  could  not  decide  whether  the  forms  of 
the  Episcopal  Church,  those  of  the  Baptists,  or  those  of 
the  Quakers,  could  be  more  easily  assimilated  with  the 
previous  notions  of  Cheditafa  on  the  subject.  But 
having  been  married  herself,  she  thought  she  knew 
very  well  what  was  needed,  and  so,  without  endeavor 
ing  to  persuade  the  negro  priest  that  his  opinions  re 
garding  the  marriage  rites  were  all  wrong,  or  to  make 
him  understand  what  sort  of  a  wedding  she  would  have 
had  if  they  had  all  been  in  their  own  land,  she  endea 
vored  to  impress  upon  his  mind  the  forms  and  phrases 
of  a  very  simple  ceremony,  which  she  believed  would 
embody  all  that  was  necessary. 

Cheditafa  was  a  man  of  considerable  intelligence, 
135 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

and  the  feeling  that  he  was  about  to  perform  such  an 
important  ceremony  for  the  benefit  of  such  a  great 
man  as  Captain  Horn  filled  his  soul  with  pride  and 
a  strong  desire  to  acquit  himself  creditably  in  this 
honorable  function,  and  he  was  able  before  very  long 
to  satisfy  Mrs.  Cliff  that,  with  Maka's  assistance  as 
prompting  clerk,  he  might  be  trusted  to  go  through 
the  ceremony  without  serious  mistake. 

She  was  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  if  she  conducted 
the  marriage  ceremony  it  would  be  far  better  in  every 
way  than  such  a  performance  by  a  coal-black  heathen  ; 
but  as  she  knew  that  her  offices  would  not  count  for 
anything  in  a  civilized  world,  whereas  the  heathen 
ministry  might  be  considered  satisfactory,  she  accepted 
the  situation,  and  kept  her  opinions  to  herself. 

The  wedding  took  place  about  six  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  on  the  plateau  in  front  of  the  great  stone 
face,  at  a  spot  where  the  projecting  rocks  cast  a  shade 
upon  the  heated  ground.  Cheditafa,  attired  in  the 
best  suit  of  clothes  which  could  be  made  up  from  con 
tributions  from  all  his  fellow-countrymen  present, 
stood  on  the  edge  of  the  line  of  shadow,  his  hands 
clasped,  his  head  slightly  bowed,  his  bright  eyes  glan 
cing  from  side  to  side,  and  his  face  filled  with  an  ex 
pression  of  anxiety  to  observe  everything  and  make 
no  mistakes.  Maka  stood  near  him,  and  behind  the 
two,  in  the  brilliant  sunlight,  were  grouped  the  other 
negroes,  all  very  attentive  and  solemn,  looking  a  little 
frightened,  as  if  they  were  not  quite  sure  that  sacrifices 
were  not  customary  on  such  occasions. 

Captain  Horn  stood,  tall  and  erect,  his  jacket  a 
little  torn,  but  with  an  air  of  earnest  dignity  upon 
his  handsome,  sunburnt  features,  which,  with  his 

136 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

full  dark  beard  and  rather  long  hair,  gave  him  the 
appearance  of  an  old-time  chieftain  about  to  embark 
upon  some  momentous  enterprise.  By  his  side  was 
Edna  Markham,  pale,  and  dressed  in  the  simple  gown 
in  which  she  had  left  the  ship,  but  as  beautiful,  in  the 
eyes  of  Mrs.  Cliff,  as  if  she  had  been  arrayed  in  orange- 
blossoms  and  white  satin. 

Eeverently  the  two  answered  the  simple  questions 
which  were  put  to  them,  and  made  the  necessary 
promises,  and  slowly  and  carefully,  and  in  very  good 
English,  Cheditafa  pronounced  them  man  and  wife. 
Mrs.  Cliff  then  produced  a  marriage  certificate,  writ 
ten  with  a  pencil,  as  nearly  as  she  could  remember,  in 
the  words  of  her  own  document  of  that  nature,  on  a 
leaf  torn  from  the  captain's  note-book,  and  to  this  she 
signed  Cheditafa's  name,  to  which  the  African,  under 
her  directions,  affixed  his  mark.  Then  Ealph  and 
Mrs.  Cliff  signed  as  witnesses,  and  the  certificate  was 
delivered  to  Edna. 

"Now,"  said  the  captain,  "I  will  go  aboard." 

The  whole  party,  Edna  and  the  captain  a  little  in 
the  lead,  walked  down  to  the  beach,  where  the  boat 
lay,  ready  to  be  launched.  During  the  short  walk 
Captain  Horn  talked  rapidly  and  earnestly  to  Edna, 
confining  his  remarks,  however,  to  directions  and 
advice  as  to  what  should  be  done  until  he  returned, 
or,  still  more  important,  as  to  what  should  be  done 
if  he  did  not  return  at  all. 

When  they  reached  the  beach,  the  captain  shook 
hands  with  Edna,  Mrs.  Cliff,  and  Kalph,  and  then, 
turning  to  Cheditafa,  he  informed  him  that  that  lady, 
pointing  to  Edna,  was  now  the  mistress  of  himself  and 
Mok,  and  that  every  word  of  command  she  gave  them 

137 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

must  be  obeyed  exactly  as  if  lie  had  given  it  to  them 
himself.  He  was  shortly  coming  back,  he  said,  and 
when  he  saw  them  again,  their  reward  should  depend 
entirely  upon  the  reports  he  should  receive  of  their 
conduct. 

"But  I  know,"  said  he,  "that  you  are  a  good  man, 
and  that  I  can  trust  you,  and  I  will  hold  you  respon 
sible  for  Mok." 

This  was  the  end  of  the  leave-taking.  The  captain 
stepped  into  his  boat  and  took  the  oars.  Then  the 
four  negroes,  two  on  a  side,  ran  out  the  little  craft  as 
far  as  possible  through  the  surf,  and  then,  when  they 
had  scrambled  on  board,  the  captain  pulled  out  into 
smooth  water. 

Hoisting  his  little  sail,  and  seating  himself  in  the 
stern,  with  the  tiller  in  his  hand,  he  brought  the  boat 
round  to  the  wind.  Once  he  turned  toward  shore  and 
waved  his  hat,  and  then  he  sailed  away  toward  the 
western  sky. 

Mrs.  Cliff  and  Ralph  walked  together  toward  the 
caves,  leaving  Edna  alone  upon  the  beach. 

"Well,"  said  Ralph,  "this  is  the  first  wedding  I  ever 
saw,  but  I  must  say  it  is  rather  different  from  my  idea 
of  that  sort  of  thing.  I  thought  that  people  always 
kissed  at  such  affairs,  and  there  was  general  jollifica 
tion  and  cake,  but  this  seemed  more  like  a  newfangled 
funeral,  with  the  dear  departed  acting  as  his  own 
Charon  and  steering  himself  across  the  Styx." 

"He  might  have  kissed  her,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  thought 
fully.  "But  you  see,  Ralph,  everything  had  to  be 
very  different  from  ordinary  weddings.  It  was  a 
very  peculiar  case." 

"I  should  hope  so,"  said  the  boy,— "the  uncommoner 
138 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  better.  In  fact,  I  shouldn't  call  it  a  wedding  at 
all.  It  seemed  more  like  taking  a  first  degree  in 
widowhood." 

"Ralph/'  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "that  is  horrible.  Don't 
you  ever  say  anything  like  that  again.  I  hope  you 
are  not  going  to  distress  your  sister  with  such  remarks." 

"You  need  not  say  anything  about  Edna  ! "  he  ex 
claimed.  "I  shall  not  worry  her  with  any  criticisms 
of  the  performance.  The  fact  is,  she  will  need  cheer 
ing  up,  and  if  I  can  do  it  I  will.  She's  captain  now, 
and  I'll  stand  up  for  her  like  a  good  fellow." 

Edna  stood  on  the  beach,  gazing  out  on  the  ocean 
illuminated  by  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  keeping  her 
eyes  fixed  on  the  captain's  boat  until  it  became  a  mere 
speck.  Then,  when  it  had  vanished  entirely  among 
the  lights  and  shades  of  the  evening  sea,  she  still  stood 
a  little  while  and  watched.  Then  she  turned  and 
slowly  walked  up  to  the  plateau.  Everything  there 
was  just  as  she  had  known  it  for  weeks.  The  great 
stone  face  seemed  to  smile  in  the  last  rays  of  the  set 
ting  sun.  Mrs.  Cliff  came  to  meet  her,  her  face  glowing 
with  smiles,  and  Kalph  threw  his  arms  around  her 
neck  and  kissed  her,  without,  however,  saying  a  word 
about  that  sort  of  thing  having  been  omitted  in  the 
ceremony  of  the  afternoon. 

"My  dear  Edna,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff,  "from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart  I  congratulate  you  !  No  matter 
how  we  look  at  it,  a  rare  piece  of  good  fortune  has 
come  to  you." 

Edna  gazed  at  her  for  a  moment,  and  then  she  an 
swered  quietly,  "Oh,  yes,  it  was  a  fine  thing,  no  matter 
what  happens.  If  he  does  not  come  back,  I  shall  make 
a  bold  stroke  for  widowhood ;  and  if  he  does  come  back, 

139 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

he  is  bound,  after  all  this,  to  give  me  a  good  share  of 
that  treasure.  So,  you  see,  we  have  done  the  best  we 
can  do  to  be  rich  and  happy,  if  we  are  not  so  unlucky 
as  to  perish  among  these  rocks  and  sand." 

"She  is  almost  as  horrible  as  Kalph,"  thought  Mrs. 
Cliff,  "but  she  will  get  over  it." 


140 


CHAPTER  XVIH 

MRS.   CLIFF  IS  AMAZED 

AFTER  the  captain  set  sail  in  his  little  boat,  the  party 
which  he  left  behind  him  lived  on  in  an  uneventful, 
uninteresting  manner,  which,  gradually,  day  by  day, 
threw  a  shadow  over  the  spirits  of  each  one  of  them. 

Kalph,  who  always  slept  in  the  outer  chamber  of  the 
caves,  had  been  a  very  faithful  guardian  of  the  cap 
tain's  treasure.  No  one,  not  even  himself,  had  gone 
near  it,  and  he  never  went  up  to  the  rocky  promontory 
on  which  he  had  raised  his  signal-pole  without  know 
ing  that  the  two  negroes  were  at  a  distance  from  the 
caves,  or  within  his  sight. 

For  a  day  or  two  after  the  captain's  departure  Edna 
was  very  quiet,  with  a  fancy  for  going  off  by  herself. 
But  she  soon  threw  off  this  dangerous  disposition,  and 
took  up  her  old  profession  of  teacher,  with  Kalph  as 
the  scholar,  and  mathematics  as  the  study.  They  had 
no  books  nor  even  paper,  but  the  rules  and  principles 
of  her  specialty  were  fresh  in  her  mind,  and  with  a 
pointed  stick  on  a  smooth  stretch  of  sand  diagrams 
were  drawn  and  problems  worked  out. 

This  occupation  was  a  most  excellent  thing  for  Edna 
and  her  brother,  but  it  did  not  help  Mrs.  Cliff  to  en- 

141 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

dure  with  patience  the  weary  days  of  waiting.  She 
had  nothing  to  read,  nothing  to  do,  very  often  no  one 
to  talk  to,  and  she  would  probably  have  fallen  into  a 
state  of  nervous  melancholy  had  not  Edna  persuaded 
her  to  devote  an  hour  or  two  each  day  to  missionary 
work  with  Mok  and  Cheditafa.  This  Mrs.  Cliif  cheer 
fully  undertook.  She  was  a  conscientious  woman,  and 
her  methods  of  teaching  were  peculiar.  She  had  an 
earnest  desire  to  do  the  greatest  amount  of  good  with 
these  poor,  ignorant  negroes,  but,  at  the  same  time, 
she  did  not  wish  to  do  injury  to  any  one  else.  The 
conviction  forced  itself  upon  her  that  if  she  absolutely 
converted  Cheditafa  from  the  errors  of  his  native  re 
ligion,  she  might  in  some  way  invalidate  the  marriage 
ceremony  which  he  had  performed. 

"If  he  should  truly  come  to  believe,"  she  said  to 
herself,  "that  he  had  no  right  to  marry  the  captain 
and  Edna,  his  conscience  might  make  him  go  back  on 
the  whole  business,  and  everything  that  we  have  done 
would  be  undone.  I  don't  want  him  to  remain  a 
heathen  any  longer  than  it  can  possibly  be  helped,  but 
I  must  be  careful  not  to  set  his  priesthood  entirely 
aside  until  Edna's  position  is  fixed  and  settled.  When 
the  captain  comes  back,  and  we  all  get  home,  they 
must  be  married  regularly ;  but  if  he  never  comes 
back,  then  I  must  try  to  make  Cheditafa  understand 
that  the  marriage  is  just  as  binding  as  any  other  kind, 
and  that  any  change  of  religious  opinion  that  he  may 
undergo  will  have  no  effect  upon  it." 

Accordingly,  while  she  confined  her  religious  teach 
ings  to  very  general  principles,  her  moral  teachings 
were  founded  upon  the  strictest  code,  and  included 
cleanliness  and  all  the  household  virtues,  not  except- 

142 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

ing  the  proper  care  of  such  garments  as  an  indigent 
human  being  in  a  tropical  climate  might  happen  to 
possess. 

In  spite,  however,  of  this  occupation,  Mrs.  Cliffs 
spirits  were  not  buoyant.  "I  believe,"  she  thought, 
"things  would  have  been  more  cheerful  if  they  had 
not  married  ;  but  then,  of  course,  we  ought  to  be  will 
ing  to  sacrifice  cheerfulness  at  present  to  future  pros 
perity." 

It  was  more  than  a  month  after  the  departure  of  the 
captain  that  Ralph,  from  his  point  of  observation, 
perceived  a  sail  upon  the  horizon.  He  had  seen  sails 
there  before,  but  they  never  grew  any  larger,  and 
generally  soon  disappeared,  for  it  would  lengthen  the 
course  of  any  coasting- vessel  to  approach  this  shore. 
But  the  sail  that  Ralph  saw  now  grew  larger  and 
larger,  and,  with  the  aid  of  his  little  spy-glass,  it  was 
not  long  before  he  made  up  his  mind  that  it  was  com 
ing  toward  him.  Then  up  went  his  signal-flag,  and, 
with  a  loud  hurrah,  down  went  he  to  shout  out  the 
glad  news. 

Twenty  minutes  later  it  was  evident  to  the  anxiously 
peering  eyes  of  every  one  of  the  party  that  the  ship 
was  actually  approaching  the  shore,  and  in  the  heart 
of  each  one  of  them  there  was  a  bounding  delight  in 
the  feeling  that,  after  all  these  days  of  weary  waiting, 
the  captain  was  coming  back. 

As  the  ship  drew  nearer  and  nearer,  she  showed 
herself  to  be  a  large  vessel— a  handsome  bark. 
About  half  a  mile  from  the  shore,  she  lay  to,  and  very 
soon  a  boat  was  lowered. 

Edna's  heart  beat  rapidly  and  her  face  flushed  as, 
with  Ralph's  spy-glass  to  her  eyes,  she  scanned  the 

143 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

people  in  the  "boat  as  it  pulled  away  from  the 
ship. 

"Can  you  make  out  the  captain?"  cried  Ralph,  at 
her  side. 

She  shook  her  head,  and  handed  him  the  glass.  For 
full  five  minutes  the  boy  peered  through  it,  and  then 
he  lowered  the  glass. 

"Edna,"  said  he,  "he  isn't  in  it." 

"What ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff,  "do  you  mean  to  say 
that  the  captain  is  not  in  that  boat  ? " 

"I  am  sure  of  it,"  said  Ealph.  "And  if  he  isn't  in 
the  boat,  of  course  he  is  not  on  the  ship.  Perhaps  he 
did  not  have  anything  to  do  with  that  vessel's  coming 
here.  It  may  have  been  tacking  in  this  direction, 
and  so  come  near  enough  for  people  to  see  my 
signal." 

"Don't  suppose  things,"  said  Edna,  a  little  sharply. 
"Wait  until  the  boat  comes  in,  and  then  we  will  know 
all  about  it.— Here,  Cheditafa,"  said  she,  "you  and 
Mok  go  out  into  the  water  and  help  run  that  boat 
ashore  as  soon  as  it  is  near  enough." 

It  was  a  large  boat  containing  five  men,  and  when 
it  had  been  run  up  on  the  sand,  and  its  occupants  had 
stepped  out,  the  man  at  the  tiller,  who  proved  to  be 
the  second  mate  of  the  bark,  came  forward  and 
touched  his  hat.  As  he  did  so,  no  sensible  person 
could  have  imagined  that  he  had  accidentally  dis 
covered  them.  His  manner  plainly  showed  that  he  had 
expected  to  find  them  there.  The  conviction  that  this 
was  so  made  the  blood  run  cold  in  Edna's  veins.  Why 
had  not  the  captain  come  himself? 

The  man  in  command  of  the  boat  advanced  toward 
the  two  ladies,  looking  from  one  to  the  other  as  he  did 

144 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

so.  Then,  taking  a  letter  from  the  pocket  of  his  jacket, 
he  presented  it  to  Edna. 

"Mrs.  Horn,  I  believe,"  he  said.  "Here  is  a  letter 
from  your  husband." 

Now,  it  so  happened  that  to  Mrs.  Cliff,  to  Edna,  and 
to  Ralph  this  recognition  of  matrimonial  status  seemed 
to  possess  more  force  and  value  than  the  marriage 
ceremony  itself. 

Edna's  face  grew  as  red  as  roses  as  she  took  the 
letter. 

"From  my  husband,"  she  said ;  and  then,  without 
further  remark,  she  stepped  aside  to  read  it. 

But  Mrs.  Cliff  and  Ralph  could  not  wait  for  the 
reading  of  the  letter.  They  closed  upon  the  mate, 
and,  each  speaking  at  the  same  moment,  demanded  of 
him  what  had  happened  to  Captain  Horn,  why  he  had 
not  come  himself,  where  he  was  now,  was  this  ship  to 
take  them  away,  and  a  dozen  similar  questions.  The 
good  mariner  smiled  at  their  impatience,  but  could  not 
wonder  at  it,  and  proceeded  to  tell  them  all  he  knew 
about  Captain  Horn  and  his  plans. 

The  captain,  he  said,  had  arrived  at  Callao  some 
time  since,  and  immediately  endeavored  to  get  a  vessel 
in  which  to  go  after  the  party  he  had  left,  but  was 
unable  to  do  so.  There  was  nothing  in  port  which 
answered  his  purpose.  The  captain  seemed  to  be  very 
particular  about  the  craft  in  which  he  would  be  will 
ing  to  trust  his  wife  and  the  rest  of  the  party. 

"And  after  having  seen  Mrs.  Horn,"  the  mate  po 
litely  added,  "and  you  two,  I  don't  wonder  he  was 
particular.  When  Captain  Horn  found  that  the 
bark  out  there,  the  Mary  Bartlett,  would  sail  in  a 
week  for  Acapulco,  Mexico,  he  induced  the  agents  of 

145 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  company  owning  her  to  allow  her  to  stop  to  take 
off  the  shipwrecked  party  and  carry  them  to  that 
port,  from  which  they  could  easily  get  to  the  United 
States." 

"But  why,  in  the  name  of  common  sense,"  almost 
screamed  Mrs.  Cliff,  "didn't  he  come  himself?  Why 
should  he  stay  behind,  and  send  a  ship  to  take  us  off? " 

"That,  madam,"  said  the  mate,  "I  do  not  know.  I 
have  met  Captain  Horn  before,  for  he  is  well  known 
on  this  coast,  and  I  know  he  is  a  man  who  understands 
how  to  attend  to  his  own  business,  and,  therefore,  I 
suppose  he  has  good  reasons  for  what  he  has  done— 
which  reasons,  no  doubt,  he  has  mentioned  in  his  letter 
to  his  wife.  All  I  can  tell  you  is  that,  after  he  had  had 
a  good  deal  of  trouble  with  the  agents,  we  were  at  last 
ordered  to  touch  here.  He  could  not  give  us  the  exact 
latitude  and  longitude  of  this  spot,  but  as  his  boat  kept 
on  a  straight  westward  course  after  he  left  here,  he  got 
a  good  idea  of  the  latitude  from  the  Mexican  brig 
which  he  boarded  three  days  afterwards.  Then  he 
gave  us  a  plan  of  the  coast,  which  helped  us  very 
much,  and  soon  after  we  got  within  sight  of  land,  our 
lookout  spied  that  signal  you  put  up.  So  here  we  are  ; 
and  I  have  orders  to  take  you  all  off  just  as  soon  as 
possible,  for  we  must  not  lie  here  a  minute  longer  than 
is  necessary.  I  do  not  suppose  that,  under  the  cir 
cumstances,  you  have  much  baggage  to  take  away  with 
you,  and  I  shall  have  to  ask  you  to  get  ready  to  leave 
as  soon  as  you  can." 

"All  right,"  cried  Ralph.  "It  won't  take  us  long  to 
get  ready." 

But  Mrs.  Cliff  answered  never  a  word.  In  fact,  the 
injunction  to  prepare  to  leave  had  fallen  unheeded 

146 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

upon  her  ear.  Her  mind  was  completely  occupied 
entirely  with  one  question  :  Why  did  not  the  captain 
come  himself? 

She  hastened  to  Edna,  who  had  finished  reading  the 
letter,  and  now  stood  silent,  holding  it  in  her  hand. 

"What  does  he  say?"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff.  "What 
are  his  reasons  for  staying  away  ?  What  does  he  tell 
you  about  his  plans?  Head  us  the  letter.  You  can 
leave  out  all  the  loving  and  confidential  parts,  but 
give  us  his  explanations.  I  never  was  so  anxious  to 
know  anything  in  all  my  life." 

"I  will  read  you  the  whole  of  it,"  said  Edna.  "Here, 
Kalph." 

Her  brother  came  running  up.  "That  man  is  in  an 
awful  hurry  to  get  away,"  he  said.  "We  ought  to  go 
up  to  the  caves  and  get  our  things." 

"Stay  just  where  you  are,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff.  "Before 
we  do  anything  else,  we  must  know  what  Captain 
Horn  intends  to  do,  and  what  he  wants  us  to  do." 

"That's  so!"  cried  Ealph,  suddenly  remembering 
his  guardianship.  "We  ought  to  know  what  he  says 
about  leaving  that  mound.  Read  away,  Edna." 

The  three  stood  at  some  little  distance  from  the 
sailors,  who  were  now  talking  with  Cheditafa,  and 
Edna  read  the  letter  aloud  : 

"  LIMA,  May  14,  1884. 

' '  MY  DEAR  WIFE  :  I  reached  this  city  about  ten  days 
ago.  When  I  left  you  all  I  did  not  sail  down  the  coast, 
but  stood  directly  out  to  sea.  My  object  was  to  reach  a 
shipping-port,  and  to  do  this  my  best  plan  was  to  get 
into  the  track  of  coasting-vessels.  This  plan  worked 
well,  and  in  three  days  we  were  picked  up  by  a  Mexican 
guano  brig,  and  were  taken  to  Callao,  which  is  the  port 
of  Lima.  We  all  arrived  in  good  health  and  condition. 

147 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"  This  letter  will  be  brought  to  you  by  the  bark  Mary 
Bartlett,  which  vessel  I  have  engaged  to  stop  for  you, 
and  take  you  and  the  whole  party  to  Acapulco,  which  is 
the  port  of  the  City  of  Mexico,  from  which  place  I  ad 
vise  you  to  go  as  soon  as  possible  to  San  Francisco.  I 
have  paid  the  passage  of  all  of  you  to  Acapulco,  and  I 
inclose  a  draft  for  one  thousand  dollars  for  your  ex 
penses.  I  would  advise  you  to  go  to  the  Palmetto 
Hotel,  which  is  a  good  family  house,  and  I  will  write  to 
you  there  and  send  another  draft.  In  fact,  I  expect 
you  will  find  my  letter  when  you  arrive,  for  the  mail- 
steamer  will  probably  reach  San  Francisco  before  you 
do.  Please  write  to  me  as  soon  as  you  get  there,  and 
address  me  here,  care  of  Nasco,  Parmley  &  Co." 

An  exclamation  of  impatience  here  escaped  from 
Mrs.  Cliff.  In  her  opinion,  the  reasons  for  the  non- 
appearance  of  the  captain  should  have  been  the  first 
thing  in  the  letter. 

"  When  I  reached  Lima,  which  is  six  miles  from 
Callao,"  the  letter  continued,  "  I  disposed  of  some  of 
the  property  I  brought  with  me,  and  expect  to  sell  it  all 
before  long.  Being  known  as  a  Californian,  I  find  no 
difficulty  in  disposing  of  my  property,  which  is  in  de 
mand  here,  and  in  a  very  short  time  I  shall  have  turned 
the  whole  of  it  into  drafts  or  cash.  There  is  a  vessel 
expected  here  shortly  which  I  shall  be  able  to  charter, 
and  as  soon  as  I  can  do  so  I  shall  sail  in  her  to  attend 
to  the  disposition  of  the  rest  of  my  property.  I  shall 
write  as  frequently  as  possible,  and  keep  you  informed 
of  my  operations. 

"  Of  course,  you  understand  that  I  could  not  go  on  the 
Mary  Bartlett  to  join  you  and  accompany  you  to  Aca 
pulco,  for  that  would  have  involved  too  great  a  loss  of 

148 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

time.     My  business  must  be  attended  to  without  delay, 
and  I  can  get  the  vessel  I  want  here. 

' '  The  people  of  the  Mary  Bartlett  will  not  want  to 
wait  any  longer  than  can  be  helped,  so  you  would  all 
better  get  your  baggage  together  as  soon  as  possible  and 
gO  on  board.  The  two  negroes  will  bring  down  your 
baggage,  so  there  will  be  no  need  for  any  of  the  sailors 
to  go  up  to  the  caves.  Tell  Ralph  not  to  forget  the 
charge  I  gave  him  if  they  do  go  up.  When  you  have 
taken  away  your  clothes,  you  can  leave  just  as  they  are 
the  cooking-utensils,  the  blankets,  and  everything  else. 
I  will  write  to  you  much  more  fully  by  mail.  Cannot  do 
so  now.  I  hope  you  may  all  have  a  quick  and  safe  voy 
age,  and  that  I  may  hear  from  you  immediately  after 
you  reach  Acapulco.  I  hope  most  earnestly  that  you 
have  all  kept  well,  and  that  no  misfortune  has  happened 
to  any  of  you.  I  shall  wait  with  anxiety  your  letter 
from  Acapulco.  Let  Ralph  write  and  make  his  report. 
I  will  ask  you  to  stay  in  San  Francisco  until  more  letters 
have  passed  and  plans  are  arranged.  Until  further 
notice,  please  give  Mrs.  Cliff  one  fourth  of  all  moneys  I 
send.  I  cannot  insist,  of  course,  upon  her  staying  in 
San  Francisco,  but  I  would  advise  her  to  do  so  until 
things  are  more  settled. 

"  In  haste,  your  husband, 

"  PHILIP  HORN." 

"Upon  my  word ! "  ejaculated  Mrs.  Cliff,  "a  most 
remarkable  letter  !  It  might  have  been  written  to  a 
clerk !  No  one  would  suppose  it  the  first  letter  of  a 
man  to  his  bride  !  Excuse  me,  Edna,  for  speaking  so 
plainly,  but  I  must  say  I  am  shocked.  He  is  very 
particular  to  call  you  his  wife  and  say  he  is  your  hus 
band,  and  in  that  way  he  makes  the  letter  a  valuable 
piece  of  testimony  if  he  never  turns  up;  but— well,  no 
matter." 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"He  is  mighty  careful/'  said  Kalph,  "not  to  say 
anything  about  the  gold.  He  speaks  of  his  property 
as  if  it  might  be  Panama  stock  or  something  like  that, 
He  is  awfully  wary." 

"You  see,"  said  Edna,  speaking  in  a  low  voice,  "this 
letter  was  sent  by  private  hands,  and  by  people  who 
were  coming  to  the  spot  where  his  property  is,  and,  of 
course,  it  would  not  do  to  say  anything  that  would  give 
any  hint  of  the  treasure  here.  When  he  writes  by 
mail,  he  can  speak  more  plainly." 

"I  hope  he  may  speak  more  plainly  in  another  way," 
said  Mrs.  Cliff.  "And  now  let  us  go  up  and  get  our 
things  together.  I  am  a  good  deal  more  amazed  by 
the  letter  than  I  was  by  the  ship." 


150 


CHAPTER  XIX 

LEFT   BEHIND 

"RALPH,"  said  Edna,  as  they  were  hurrying  up  to  the 
caves,  "you  must  do  everything  you  can  to  keep  those 
sailors  from  wandering  into  the  lake  basin.  They  are 
very  different  from  the  negroes,  and  will  want  to 
explore  every  part  of  it." 

"Oh,  I  have  thought  of  all  that,"  said  Ralph,  "and 
I  am  now  going  to  run  ahead  and  smash  the  lantern. 
They  won't  be  so  likely  to  go  poking  around  in  the 
dark." 

"But  they  may  have  candles  or  matches,"  said  Edna. 
"We  must  try  to  keep  them  out  of  the  big  cave." 

Ralph  did  not  stop  to  answer,  but  ran  as  fast  as  his 
legs  would  carry  him  to  the  plateau.  The  rest  of  the 
party  followed,  Edna  first,  then  the  negroes,  and  after 
them  Mrs.  Cliff,  who  could  not  imagine  why  Edna 
should  be  in  such  a  hurry.  The  sailors,  having  se 
cured  their  boat,  came  straggling  after  the  rest. 

When  Edna  reached  the  entrance  to  the  caves,  she 
was  met  by  her  brother,  so  much  out  of  breath  that  he 
could  hardly  speak. 

"You  needn't  go  to  your  room  to  get  your  things," 
he  exclaimed.  "I  have  gathered  them  all  up,  your 

151 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

bag,  too,  and  I  have  tumbled  them  over  the  wall  in 
the  entrance  back  here.  You  must  get  over  as  quick 
as  you  can.  That  will  be  your  room  now,  and  I  will 
tell  the  sailors,  if  they  go  poking  around,  that  you  are 
in  there  getting  ready  to  leave,  and  then,  of  course, 
they  can't  pass  along  the  passage." 

"That  is  a  fine  idea,"  said  Edna,  as  she  followed  him. 
"You  are  getting  very  sharp-witted,  Ralph." 

"Now,  then,"  said  he,  as  he  helped  her  over  the  wall, 
"take  just  as  long  as  you  can  to  get  your  things  ready." 

"It  can't  take  me  very  long,"  said  Edna.  "I  have 
no  clothes  to  change,  and  only  a  few  things  to  put  in 
my  bag.  I  don't  believe  you  have  got  them  all,  any 
way." 

"But  you  must  make  it  take  a  long  time,"  said  he. 
"You  must  not  get  through  until  every  sailor  has  gone. 
You  and  I  must  be  the  last  ones  to  leave  the  caves." 

"All  right,"  said  Edna,  as  she  disappeared  behind 
the  wall. 

When  Mrs.  Cliff  arrived,  she  was  met  by  Ralph, 
who  explained  the  state  of  affairs,  and  although  that 
lady  was  a  good  deal  annoyed  at  the  scattered  condi 
tion  in  which  she  found  her  effects,  she  accepted  the 
situation. 

The  mate  and  his  men  were  much  interested  in  the 
caves  and  the  great  stone  face,  and,  as  might  have  been 
expected,  every  one  of  them  wanted  to  know  where 
the  narrow  passage  led.  But  as  Ralph  was  on  hand 
to  inform  them  that  it  was  the  entrance  to  Mrs.  Horn's 
apartment,  they  could  do  no  more  than  look  along  its 
dusky  length,  and  perhaps  wonder  why  Mrs.  Horn 
should  have  selected  a  cave  which  must  be  dark,  when 
there  were  others  which  were  well  lighted. 

152 


Mrs.  Cliff  was  soon  ready,  and  explained  to  the  in 
quiring  mate  her  notion  that  these  caves  were  used 
for  religious  purposes,  and  that  the  stone  face  was  an 
ancient  idol.  In  fact,  the  good  lady  believed  this,  but 
she  did  not  state  that  she  thought  it  likely  that  the 
sculptured  countenance  was  a  sort  of  a  cashier  idol, 
whose  duty  it  was  to  protect  treasure. 

Edna,  behind  the  stone  barrier,  had  put  her  things 
in  her  bag,  though  she  was  not  sure  she  had  found  all 
of  them  in  the  gloom,  and  she  waited  a  long  time,  so 
it  seemed  to  her,  for  Ralph's  summons  to  come  forth. 
But  although  the  boy  came  to  the  wall  several  times, 
ostensibly  to  ask  if  she  were  not  ready,  yet  he  really 
told  her  to  stay  where  she  was,  for  the  sailors  were  not 
yet  gone.  But  at  last  he  came  with  the  welcome  news 
that  every  one  had  departed,  and  they  soon  came  out 
into  the  daylight. 

"If  anything  is  lost,  charge  it  to  me,"  said  Ralph  to 
Mrs.  Cliff  and  his  sister,  as  they  hurried  away.  "I 
can  tell  you,  if  I  had  not  thought  of  that  way  of  keep 
ing  those  sailors  out  of  the  passage,  they  would  have 
swarmed  over  that  lake  bed,  each  one  of  them  with  a 
box  of  matches  in  his  pocket ;  and  if  they  had  found 
that  mound,  I  wouldn't  give  two  cents  for  the  gold 
they  would  have  left  in  it.  It  wouldn't  have  been  of 
any  use  to  tell  them  it  was  the  captain's  property. 
They  would  have  been  there,  and  he  wasn't,  and  I  ex 
pect  the  mate  would  have  been  as  bad  as  any  of  them." 

"You  are  a  good  fellow,  Ralph,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff, 
"and  I  hope  you  will  grow  up  to  be  an  administrator, 
or  something  of  the  kind.  I  don't  suppose  there  was 
ever  another  boy  in  the  world  who  had  so  much  wealth 
in  charge." 

153 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"You  can't  imagine/'  exclaimed  Kalph,  "how  I  hate 
to  go  away  and  leave  it !  There  is  no  knowing  when 
the  captain  will  get  here,  nor  who  will  drop  in  on  the 
place  before  he  does.  I  tell  you,  Edna,  I  believe  it 
would  be  a  good  plan  for  me  to  stay  here  with  those 
two  black  fellows,  and  wait  for  the  captain.  You  two 
could  go  on  the  ship,  and  write  to  him.  I  am  sure  he 
would  be  glad  to  know  I  am  keeping  guard  here,  and 
I  don't  know  any  better  fun  than  to  be  on  hand  when 
he  unearths  the  treasure.  There's  no  knowing  what 
is  at  the  bottom  of  that  mound." 

"Nonsense  ! "  exclaimed  Edna.  "You  can  put  that 
idea  out  of  your  head  instantly.  I  would  not  think  of 
going  away  and  leaving  you  here.  If  the  captain  had 
wanted  you  to  stay,  he  would  have  said  so." 

"If  the  captain  wanted ! "  sarcastically  exclaimed 
Kalph.  "I  am  tired  of  hearing  what  the  captain 
wants.  I  hope  the  time  will  soon  come  when  those 
yellow  bars  of  gold  will  be  divided  up,  and  then  I  can 
do  what  I  like  without  considering  what  he  likes." 

Mrs.  Cliff  could  not  help  a  sigh.  "Dear  me  !  "  said 
she,  "I  do  most  earnestly  hope  that  time  may  come. 
But  we  are  leaving  it  all  behind  us,  and  whether  we 
will  ever  hear  of  it  again  nobody  knows." 

One  hour  after  this  Edna  and  Mrs.  Cliff  were  stand 
ing  on  the  deck  of  the  Mary  Bartlett,  watching  the 
plateau  of  the  great  stone  face  as  it  slowly  sank  into 
the  horizon. 

"Edna,"  said  the  elder  lady,  "I  have  liked  you  ever 
since  I  have  known  you,  and  I  expect  to  like  you  as 
long  as  I  live,  but  I  must  say  that,  for  an  intelligent 
person,  you  have  the  most  colorless  character  I  have 
ever  seen.  Whatever  comes  to  pass,  you  receive  it  as 

154 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

quietly  and  calmly  as  if  it  were  just  what  you  expected 
and  what  you  happened  to  want,  and  yet,  as  long  as  I 
have  known  you,  you  have  not  had  anything  you 
wanted." 

"You  are  mistaken  there,"  said  Edna.  "I  have  got 
something  I  want." 

"And  what  may  that  be?"  asked  the  other. 

"Captain  Horn,"  said  Edna. 

Mrs.  Cliff  laughed  a  little  scornfully.  "If  you  are 
ever  going  to  get  any  color  out  of  your  possession  of 
him,"  she  said,  "he's  got  to  very  much  change  the 
style  of  his  letter- writing.  He  has  given  you  his  name 
and  some  of  his  money,  and  may  give  you  more,  but 
I  must  say  I  am  very  much  disappointed  in  Captain 
Horn." 

Edna  turned  suddenly  upon  her  companion. 
"Color ! "  she  exclaimed,  but  she  did  not  finish  her 
remark,  for  Ralph  came  running  aft. 

"A  queer  thing  has  happened,"  said  he  :  "a  sailor  is 
missing,  and  he  is  one  of  the  men  who  went  on  shore 
for  us.  They  don't  know  what's  become  of  him,  for 
the  mate  is  sure  he  brought  all  his  men  back  with  him, 
and  so  am  I,  for  I  counted  them  to  see  that  there  were 
no  stragglers  left,  and  all  the  people  who  were  in  that 
boat  came  on  board.  They  think  he  may  have  fallen 
overboard  after  the  ship  sailed,  but  nobody  heard  a 
splash." 

"Poor  fellow ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff,  "and  he  was 
one  of  those  who  came  to  save  us ! " 

At  this  moment  a  wet  and  bedraggled  sailor,  almost 
exhausted  with  a  swim  of  nearly  a  mile,  staggered  upon 
the  beach,  and  fell  down  upon  the  sand  near  the  spot 
from  which  the  Mary  Bartletfs  boat  had  recently  been 

155 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

pushed  off.  When,  an  hour  before,  he  had  slipped 
down  the  side  of  the  ship,  he  had  swum  under  water 
as  long  as  his  breath  held  out,  and  had  dived  again  as 
soon  as  he  had  filled  his  lungs.  Then  he  had  floated 
on  his  back,  paddling  along  with  little  but  his  face 
above  the  surface  of  the  waves,  until  he  had  thought 
it  safe  to  turn  over  and  strike  out  for  land.  It  had 
been  a  long  pull,  and  the  surf  had  treated  him  badly, 
but  he  was  safe  on  shore  at  last,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
he  was  sound  asleep,  stretched  upon  the  sand. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  afternoon  he  awoke  and  rose 
to  his  feet.  The  warm  sand,  the  desiccating  air,  and 
the  sun  had  dried  his  clothes,  and  his  nap  had  re 
freshed  him.  He  was  a  sharp-faced,  quick-eyed  man, 
a  Scotchman,  and  the  first  thing  he  did  was  to  shade 
his  face  with  his  hands  and  look  out  over  the  sea. 
Then  he  turned,  with  a  shrug  of  his  shoulders  and  a 
grunt, 

"She's  gone,"  said  he,  "and  I  will  be  up  to  them 
caves."  After  a  dozen  steps  he  gave  another  shrug. 
"Humph  ! "  said  he,  "those  fools  !  Do  they  think 
everybody  is  blind?  They  left  victuals,  they  left 
cooking-things.  Blasted  careful  they  were  to  leave 
matches  and  candles  in  a  tin  box.  I  watched  them. 
If  everybody  else  was  blind,  I  kenned  they  expected 
somebody  was  comin'  back.  That  captain,  that  blasted 
captain,  I'll  wager !  Wi'  sae  much  business  on  his 
hands,  he  couldna  sail  wi'  us  to  show  us  where  his  wife 
was  stranded ! " 

For  fifty  yards  more  he  plodded  along,  looking  from 
side  to  side  at  the  rocks  and  sand. 

"A  dreary  place  and  lonely,"  thought  he,  "and  1 
can  peer  out  things  at  me  ease.  I'll  find  out  what's  at 

156 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  end  o'  that  dark  alley.  They  were  so  fearsome 
that  we'd  go  into  her  room.  Her  room,  indeed  !  When 
the  other  woman  had  a  big  lighted  cave  !  They  ex 
pected  somebody  to  come  back,  did  they  ?  Well,  blast 
their  eyes,  he's  here  ! " 


CHAPTER  XX 

AT  THE   KACKBIRDS'   COVE 

IT  was  about  six  weeks  after  the  Mary  Bartlett  had 
sailed  away  from  that  desolate  spot  on  the  coast  ot 
Peru  from  which  she  had  taken  the  shipwrecked  party, 
that  the  great  stone  face  might  have  seen,  if  its  wide- 
open  eyes  had  been  capable  of  vision,  a  small  schooner 
beating  in  toward  shore.  This  vessel,  which  was 
manned  by  a  Chilian  captain,  a  mate,  and  four  men, 
and  was  a  somewhat  dirty  and  altogether  disagreeable 
craft,  carried  Captain  Horn,  his  four  negroes,  and 
three  hundred  and  thirty  bags  of  guano. 

In  good  truth  the  captain  was  coming  back  to  get 
the  gold,  or  as  much  of  it  as  he  could  take  away  with 
him.  But  his  apparent  purpose  was  to  establish  on 
this  desert  coast  a  depot  for  which  he  would  have 
nothing  to  pay  for  rent  and  storage,  and  where  he 
would  be  able  to  deposit,  from  time  to  time,  such  guano 
as  he  had  been  able  to  purchase  at  a  bargain  at  two 
of  the  guano  islands,  until  he  should  have  enough 
to  make  it  worth  while  for  a  large  vessel,  trading 
with  the  United  States  or  Mexico,  to  touch  here  and 
take  on  board  his  accumulated  stock  of  odorous  mer 
chandise. 

158 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

It  would  be  difficult— in  fact,  almost  impossible— to 
land  a  cargo  at  the  point  near  the  caves  where  the 
captain  and  his  party  first  ran  their  boats  ashore,  nor 
did  the  captain  in  the  least  desire  to  establish  his 
depot  at  a  point  so  dangerously  near  the  golden  object 
of  his  undertaking.  But  the  little  bay  which  had  been 
the  harbor  of  the  Kackbirds  exactly  suited  his  purpose, 
and  here  it  was  that  he  intended  to  land  his  bags  of 
guano.  He  had  brought  with  him  on  the  vessel  suit 
able  timber  with  which  to  build  a  small  pier,  and  he 
carried  also  a  lighter,  or  a  big  scow,  in  which  the  cargo 
would  be  conveyed  from  the  anchored  schooner  to  the 
pier. 

It  seemed  quite  evident  that  the  captain  intended 
to  establish  himself  in  a  somewhat  permanent  manner 
as  a  trader  in  guano.  He  had  a  small  tent  and  a  good 
stock  of  provisions,  and,  from  the  way  he  went  to  work 
and  set  his  men  to  work,  it  was  easy  to  see  that  he  had 
thoroughly  planned  and  arranged  all  the  details  of 
his  enterprise. 

It  was  nearly  dark  when  the  schooner  dropped  her 
anchor,  and  early  the  next  morning  all  available  hands 
were  set  to  work  to  build  the  pier,  and,  when  it  was 
finished,  the  landing  of  the  cargo  was  immediately 
begun.  Some  of  the  sailors  wandered  about  a  little, 
when  they  had  odd  moments  to  spare,  but  they  had 
seen  such  dreary  coasts  before,  and  would  rather  rest 
than  ramble.  But  wherever  they  did  happen  to  go, 
not  one  of  them  ever  got  away  from  the  eye  of  Captain 
Horn. 

The  negroes  evinced  no  desire  to  visit  the  cave,  and 
Maka  had  been  ordered  by  the  captain  to  say  nothing 
about  it  to  the  sailors.  There  was  no  difficulty  in 

159 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

obeying  this  order,  for  these  rough  fellows,  as  much 
landsmen  as  mariners,  had  a  great  contempt  for  the 
black  men,  and  had  little  to  do  with  them.  As  Cap 
tain  Horn  informed  Maka,  he  had  heard  from  his 
friends,  who  had  arrived  in  safety  at  Acapulco  ;  there 
fore  there  was  no  need  for  wasting  time  in  visiting 
their  old  habitation. 

In  that  dry  and  rainless  region  a  roof  to  cover  the 
captain's  stock  in  trade  was  not  necessary,  and  the 
bags  were  placed  upon  a  level  spot  on  the  sands,  in 
long  double  rows,  each  bag  on  end,  gently  leaning 
against  its  opposite  neighbor,  and  between  the  double 
rows  there  was  room  to  walk. 

The  Chilian  captain  was  greatly  pleased  with  this 
arrangement.  "I  see  well,"  said  he,  in  bad  Spanish, 
"that  this  business  is  not  new  to  you.  A  ship's  crew 
can  land  and  carry  away  these  bags  without  tumbling 
over  each  other.  It  is  a  grand  thing  to  have  a  store 
house  with  a  floor  as  wide  as  many  acres." 

A  portion  of  the  bags,  however,  were  arranged  in  a 
different  manner.  They  were  placed  in  a  circle  two 
bags  deep,  inclosing  a  space  about  ten  feet  in  diame 
ter.  This,  Captain  Horn  explained,  he  intended  as  a 
sort  of  little  fort,  in  which  the  man  left  in  charge  could 
defend  himself  and  the  property,  in  case  marauders 
should  laud  upon  the  coast. 

"You  don't  intend,"  exclaimed  the  Chilian  captain, 
"that  you  will  leave  a  guard  here !  Nobody  would 
have  cause  to  come  near  the  spot  from  either  land  or 
sea,  and  you  might  well  leave  your  guano  here  for  a 
year  or  more,  and  come  back  and  find  it." 

"No,"  said  Captain  Horn,  "I  can't  trust  to  that,  A 
coasting-vessel  might  put  in  here  for  water.  Some  of 

160 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

them  may  know  that  there  is  a  stream  here,  and  with 
this  convenient  pier,  and  a  cargo  ready  to  their  hands, 
my  guano  would  be  in  danger.  No,  sir.  I  intend  to 
send  you  off  to-morrow,  if  the  wind  is  favorable,  for 
the  second  cargo  for  which  we  have  contracted,  and  I 
shall  stay  here  and  guard  my  warehouse." 

"AVhat !»  exclaimed  the  Chilian,  "alone!" 

"Why  not?"  said  Captain  Horn.  "Our  force  is 
small,  and  we  can  only  spare  one  man.  In  loading 
the  schooner  on  this  trip,  I  would  be  the  least  useful 
man  on  board,  and,  besides,  do  you  think  there  is  any 
one  among  you  who  would  volunteer  to  stay  here 
instead  of  me?" 

The  Chilian  laughed  and  shook  his  head.  "But 
what  can  one  man  do,"  said  he,  "to  defend  all  this,  if 
there  should  be  need  ? " 

"Oh,  I  don't  intend  to  defend  it,"  said  the  other. 
"The  point  is  to  have  somebody  here  to  claim  it  in 
case  a  coaster  should  touch  here.  I  don't  expect  to 
be  murdered  for  the  sake  of  a  lot  of  guano.  But  I 
shall  keep  my  two  rifles  and  other  arms  inside  that 
little  fort,  and  if  I  should  see  any  signs  of  rascality  I 
shall  jump  inside  and  talk  over  the  guano-bags,  and  I 
am  a  good  shot." 

The  Chilian  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "If  I  stayed 
here  alone,"  said  he,  "I  should  be  afraid  of  nothing 
but  the  devil,  and  I  am  sure  he  would  come  to  me, 
with  all  his  angels.  But  you  are  different  from  me." 

"Yes,"  said  Captain  Horn,  "I  don't  mind  the  devil. 
I  have  often  camped  out  by  myself,  and  I  have  not 
seen  him  yet." 

When  Maka  heard  that  the  captain  intended  staying 
alone,  he  was  greatly  disturbed.  If  the  captain  had 

161 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

not  built  the  little  fort  with  the  guano-bags,  he  would 
have  begged  to  be  allowed  to  remain  with  him,  but 
those  defensive  works  had  greatly  alarmed  him,  for 
they  made  him  believe  that  the  captain  feared  that 
some  of  the  Rackbirds  might  come  back.  He  had  had 
a  great  deal  of  talk  with  the  other  negroes  about  those 
bandits,  and  he  was  fully  impressed  with  their  capacity 
for  atrocity.  It  grieved  his  soul  to  think  that  the  cap 
tain  would  stay  here  alone,  but  the  captain  was  a  man 
who  could  defend  himself  against  half  a  dozen  Rack- 
birds,  while  he  knew  very  well  that  he  would  not  be 
a  match  for  half  a  one.  "With  tears  in  his  eyes,  he 
begged  Captain  Horn  not  to  stay,  for  Rackbirds  would 
not  steal  guano,  even  if  any  of  them  should  return. 

But  his  entreaties  were  of  no  avail.  Captain  Horn 
explained  the  matter  to  him,  and  tried  to  make  him 
understand  that  it  was  as  a  claimant,  more  than  as  a 
defender  of  his  property,  that  he  remained,  and  that 
there  was  not  the  smallest  reason  to  suspect  any  Rack- 
birds  or  other  source  of  danger.  The  negro  saw  that 
the  captain  had  made  up  his  mind,  and  mournfully 
joined  his  fellows.  In  half  an  hour,  however,  he  came 
back  to  the  captain  and  offered  to  stay  with  him  until 
the  schooner  should  return.  If  Captain  Horn  had 
known  the  terrible  mental  struggle  which  had  pre 
ceded  this  offer,  he  would  have  been  more  grateful  to 
Maka  than  he  had  ever  yet  been  to  any  human  being, 
but  he  did  not  know  it,  and  declined  the  proposition 
pleasantly  but  firmly. 

"You  are  wanted  on  the  schooner,"  said  he,  "for 
none  of  the  rest  can  cook,  and  you  are  not  wanted 
here,  so  you  must  go  with  the  others ;  and  when  you 
come  back  with  the  second  load  of  guano,  it  will  not 

162 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

be  long  before  the  ship  which  I  have  engaged  to  take 
away  the  guano  will  touch  here,  and  then  we  will  all 
go  north  together." 

Maka  smiled,  and  tried  to  be  satisfied.  He  and  the 
other  negroes  had  been  greatly  grieved  that  the  cap 
tain  had  not  seen  fit  to  go  north  from  Callao,  and  take 
them  with  him.  Their  one  desire  was  to  get  away 
from  this  region,  so  full  of  horrors  to  them,  as  soon  as 
possible.  But  they  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that, 
as  the  captain  had  lost  his  ship,  he  must  be  poor,  and 
that  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  make  a  little  money 
before  he  returned  to  the  land  of  his  home. 

Fortune  was  on  the  captain's  side  the  next  day,  for 
the  wind  was  favorable,  and  the  captain  of  the  schooner 
was  very  willing  to  start.  If  that  crew,  with  nothing 
to  do,  had  been  compelled  by  adverse  weather  to  re 
main  in  that  little  cove  for  a  day  or  more,  it  might 
have  been  very  difficult  indeed  for  Captain  Horn  to 
prevent  them  from  wandering  into  the  surrounding 
country,  and  what  might  have  happened  had  they 
chanced  to  wander  into  the  cave  made  the  captain 
shudder  to  conjecture. 

He  had  carefully  considered  this  danger,  and  on  the 
voyage  he  had  made  several  plans  by  which  he  could 
keep  the  men  at  work,  in  case  they  were  obliged  to 
remain  in  the  cove  after  the  cargo  had  been  landed. 
Happily,  however,  none  of  these  schemes  was  neces 
sary,  and  the  next  day,  with  a  western  wind,  and  at 
the  beginning  of  the  ebb-tide,  the  schooner  sailed  away 
for  another  island  where  Captain  Horn  had  purchased 
guano,  leaving  him  alone  upon  the  sandy  beach,  ap 
parently  as  calm  and  cool  as  usual,  but  actually  filled 
with  turbulent  delight  at  seeing  them  depart. 

163 


CHAPTER  XXI 

IN  THE   CAVES 

WHEN  the  topmasts  of  the  Chilian  schooner  had  dis 
appeared  below  the  horizon  line,  with  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  the  schooner  would  put  back  again,  Cap 
tain  Horn  started  for  the  caves.  Had  he  obeyed  his 
instincts,  he  would  have  begun  to  stroll  along  the 
beach  as  soon  as  the  vessel  had  weighed  anchor.  But 
even  now,  as  he  hurried  on,  he  walked  prudently, 
keeping  close  to  the  water,  so  that  the  surf  might  wash 
out  his  footsteps  as  fast  as  he  made  them.  He  climbed 
over  the  two  ridges  to  the  north  of  Kackbirds7  Cove, 
and  then  made  his  way  along  the  stretch  of  sand  which 
extended  to  the  spot  where  the  party  had  landed  when 
he  first  reached  this  coast.  He  stopped  and  looked 
about  him,  and  then,  in  fancy,  he  saw  Edna  standing 
upon  the  beach,  her  face  pale,  her  eyes  large  and 
supernaturally  dark,  and  behind  her  Mrs.  Cliff  and 
the  boy  and  the  two  negroes.  Not  until  this  moment 
had  he  felt  that  he  was  alone.  But  now  there  came  a 
great  desire  to  speak  and  be  spoken  to,  and  yet  that 
very  morning  he  had  spoken  and  listened  as  much  as 
had  suited  him. 

As  he  walked  up  the  rising  ground  toward  the  caves, 
164 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

that  ground  lie  had  traversed  so  often  when  this  place 
had  been,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  his  home,  where 
there  had  been  voices  and  movement  and  life,  the  sense 
of  desertion  grew  upon  him— not  only  desertion  of  the 
place,  but  of  himself.  "When  he  had  opened  his  eyes, 
that  morning,  his  overpowering  desire  had  been  that 
not  an  hour  of  daylight  should  pass  before  he  should 
be  left  alone,  and  yet  now  his  heart  sank  at  the  feeling 
that  he  was  here  and  no  one  was  with  him. 

When  the  captain  had  approached  within  a  few 
yards  of  the  great  stone  face,  his  brows  were  slowly 
knitted. 

"This  is  carelessness,"  he  said  to  himself.  "I  did 
not  expect  it  of  them.  I  told  them  to  leave  the  uten 
sils,  but  I  did  not  suppose  that  they  would  leave  them 
outside.  No  matter  how  much  they  were  hurried  in 
going  away,  they  should  have  put  these  things  into 
the  caves.  A  passing  Indian  might  have  been  afraid 
to  go  into  that  dark  hole,  but  to  leave  those  tin  things 
there  is  the  same  as  hanging  out  a  sign  to  show  that 
people  lived  inside." 

Instantly  the  captain  gathered  up  the  tin  pan  and 
tin  plates,  and  looked  about  him  to  see  if  there  was 
anything  else  which  should  be  put  out  of  sight.  He 
did  find  something  else.  It  was  a  little,  short,  black, 
wooden  pipe  which  was  lying  on  a  stone.  He  picked 
it  up  in  surprise.  Neither  Maka  nor  Cheditafa  smoked, 
and  it  could  not  have  belonged  to  the  boy. 

"Perhaps,"  thought  the  captain,  "one  of  the  sailors 
from  the  Mary  Bartlett  may  have  left  it.  Yes,  that 
must  have  been  the  case.  But  sailors  do  not  often 
leave  their  pipes  behind  them,  nor  should  the  officer 
in  charge  have  allowed  them  to  lounge  about  and 

165 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

smoke.  But  it  must  have  been  one  of  those  sailors  who 
left  it  here.  I  am  glad  I  am  the  one  to  find  these 
things." 

The  captain  now  entered  the  opening  to  the  caves. 
Passing  along  until  he  reached  the  room  which  he  had 
once  occupied,  there  he  saw  his  rough  pallet  on  the 
ground,  drawn  close  to  the  door,  however. 

The  captain  knew  that  the  rest  of  his  party  had 
gone  away  in  a  great  hurry,  but  to  his  orderly  mari 
ner's  mind  it  seemed  strange  that  they  should  have 
left  things  in  such  disorder. 

He  could  not  stop  to  consider  these  trifles  now,  how 
ever,  and  going  to  the  end  of  the  passage,  he  climbed 
over  the  low  wall  and  entered  the  cave  of  the  lake. 
When  he  lighted  the  lantern  he  had  brought  with  him, 
he  saw  it  as  he  had  left  it,  dry,  or  even  drier  than 
before,  for  the  few  pools  which  had  remained  after 
the  main  body  of  water  had  run  off  had  disappeared, 
probably  evaporated.  He  hurried  on  toward  the 
mound  in  the  distant  recess  of  the  cave.  On  the  way, 
his  foot  struck  something  which  rattled,  and  holding 
down  his  lantern  to  see  what  it  was,  he  perceived  an 
old  tin  cup. 

"Confound  it ! "  he  exclaimed.  "This  is  too  careless  ! 
Did  the  boy  intend  to  make  a  regular  trail  from  the 
outside  entrance  to  the  mound  ?  I  suppose  he  brought 
that  cup  here  to  dip  up  water,  and  forgot  it.  I  must 
take  it  with  me  when  I  go  back." 

He  went  on,  throwing  the  light  of  the  lantern  on  the 
ground  before  him,  for  he  had  now  reached  a  part  of 
the  cave  which  was  entirely  dark.  Suddenly  some 
thing  on  the  ground  attracted  his  attention.  It  was 
bright— it  shone  as  if  it  were  a  little  pale  flame  of  a 

166 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

candle.  He  sprang  toward  it,  lie  picked  it  up.  It 
was  one  of  the  bars  of  gold  he  had  seen  in  the  mound. 

"Could  I  have  dropped  this1?"  he  ejaculated.  He 
slipped  the  little  bar  into  his  pocket,  and  then,  his 
heart  beginning  to  beat  rapidly,  he  advanced,  with 
his  lantern  close  to  the  rocky  floor.  Presently  he  saw 
two  other  pieces  of  gold,  and  then,  a  little  farther  on, 
the  end  of  a  candle,  so  small  that  it  could  scarcely 
have  been  held  by  the  fingers.  He  picked  up  this  and 
stared  at  it.  It  was  a  commonplace  candle-end,  but 
the  sight  of  it  sent  a  chill  through  him  from  head  to 
foot.  It  must  have  been  dropped  by  some  one  who 
could  hold  it  no  longer. 

He  pressed  on,  his  light  still  sweeping  the  floor.  He 
found  no  more  gold  nor  pieces  of  candle,  but  here  and 
there  he  perceived  the  ends  of  burnt  wooden  matches. 
Going  on,  he  found  more  matches,  two  or  three  with 
the  heads  broken  off  and  unburnt.  In  a  few  mo 
ments  the  mound  loomed  up  out  of  the  darkness  like 
a  spectral  dome,  and,  looking  no  more  upon  the 
ground,  the  captain  ran  toward  it.  By  means  of  the 
stony  projections  he  quickly  mounted  to  the  top,  and 
there  the  sight  he  saw  almost  made  him  drop  his 
lantern.  The  great  lid  of  the  mound  had  been  moved 
and  was  now  awry,  leaving  about  one  half  of  the 
opening  exposed. 

In  one  great  gasp  the  captain's  breath  seemed  to 
leave  him,  but  he  was  a  man  of  strong  nerves,  and 
quickly  recovered  himself ;  but  even  then  he  did  not 
lift  his  lantern  so  that  he  could  look  into  the  interior 
of  the  mound.  For  a  few  moments  he  shut  his  eyes. 
He  did  not  dare  even  to  look.  But  then  his  courage 
came  back,  and  holding  his  lantern  over  the  opening, 

167 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

lie  gazed  down  into  the  mound,  and  it  seemed  to  his 
rapid  glance  that  there  was  as  much  gold  in  it  as  when 
he  last  saw  it. 

The  discovery  that  the  treasure  was  still  there  had 
almost  as  much  effect  upon  the  captain  as  if  he  had 
found  the  mound  empty.  He  grew  so  faint  that  he 
felt  he  could  not  maintain  his  hold  upon  the  top  of  the 
mound,  and  quickly  descended,  half  sliding,  to  the 
bottom.  There  he  sat  down,  his  lantern  by  his  side. 
When  his  strength  came  back  to  him,— and  he  could 
not  have  told  any  one  how  long  it  was  before  this  hap 
pened,— the  first  thing  he  did  was  to  feel  for  his  box 
of  matches,  and  finding  them  safe  in  his  waistcoat 
pocket,  he  extinguished  the  lantern.  He  must  not  be 
discovered,  if  there  should  be  any  one  to  discover  him. 

Now  the  captain  began  to  think  as  fiercely  and 
rapidly  as  a  man's  mind  could  be  made  to  work.  Some 
one  had  been  there.  Some  one  had  taken  away  gold 
from  that  mound— how  much  or  how  little,  it  did  not 
matter.  Some  one  besides  himself  had  had  access  to 
the  treasure ! 

His  suspicions  fell  upon  Ralph,  chiefly  because  his 
most  earnest  desire  at  that  moment  was  that  Kalph 
might  be  the  offender.  If  he  could  have  believed  that 
he  would  have  been  happy.  It  must  have  been  that 
the  boy  was  not  willing  to  go  away  and  leave  all  that 
gold,  feeling  that  perhaps  he  and  his  sister  might 
never  possess  any  of  it,  and  that  just  before  leaving 
he  had  made  a  hurried  visit  to  the  mound.  But  the 
more  the  captain  thought  of  this,  the  less  probable  it 
became.  He  was  almost  sure  that  Kalph  could  not 
have  lifted  that  great  mass  of  stone  which  formed  the 
lid  covering  the  opening  of  the  mound,  for  it  had 

168 


Holding  his  lantern  over  the  opening  he  gazed  down 
into  the  mound. 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

required  all  his  own  strength  to  do  it ;  and  then,  if  any 
thing  of  this  sort  had  really  happened,  the  letters  he 
had  received  from  Edna  and  the  boy  must  have  been 
most  carefully  written  with  the  intention  to  deceive 
him. 

The  letter  from  Edna,  which  in  tone  and  style  was 
a  close  imitation  of  his  own  to  her,  had  been  a  strictly 
business  communication.  It  told  everything  which 
happened  after  the  arrival  of  the  Mary  Bartlett,  and 
gave  him  no  reason  to  suppose  that  any  one  could 
have  had  a  chance  to  pillage  the  mound.  Kalph's 
letter  had  been  even  more  definite.  It  was  con 
structed  like  an  official  report,  and  when  the  captain 
had  read  it,  he  had  thought  that  the  boy  had  probably 
taken  great  pride  in  its  preparation.  It  was  as  guar 
dian  of  the  treasure  mound  that  Ealph  wrote,  and  his 
remarks  were  almost  entirely  confined  to  this  impor 
tant  trust. 

He  briefly  reported  to  the  captain  that,  since  his 
departure,  no  one  had  been  in  the  recess  of  the  cave 
where  the  mound  was  situated,  and  he  described  in 
detail  the  plan  by  which  he  had  established  Edna 
behind  the  wall  in  the  passage,  so  as  to  prevent  any 
of  the  sailors  from  the  ship  from  making  explorations. 
He  also  stated  that  everything  had  been  left  in  as 
high  a  condition  of  safety  as  it  was  possible  to  leave 
it,  but  that,  if  his  sister  had  been  willing,  he  would 
most  certainly  have  remained  behind,  with  the  two 
negroes,  until  the  captain's  return. 

Much  as  he  wished  to  think  otherwise,  Captain 
Horn  could  not  prevail  upon  himself  to  believe  that 
Ralph  could  have  written  such  a  letter  after  a  dis 
honorable  and  reckless  visit  to  the  mound. 

169 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

It  was  possible  that  one  or  both  of  the  negroes  had 
discovered  the  mound,  but  it  was  difficult  to  believe 
that  they  would  have  dared  to  venture  into  that  awful 
cavern,  even  if  the  vigilance  of  Edna,  Mrs.  Cliff,  and 
the  boy  had  given  them  an  opportunity,  and  Edna  had 
written  that  the  two  men  had  always  slept  outside  the 
caves,  and  had  had  no  call  to  enter  them.  Further 
more,  if  Cheditafa  had  found  the  treasure,  why  should 
he  keep  it  a  secret  ?  He  would  most  probably  have 
considered  it  an  original  discovery,  and  would  have 
spoken  of  it  to  the  others.  Why  should  he  be  willing 
that  they  should  all  go  away  and  leave  so  much  wealth 
behind  them1?  The  chief  danger,  in  case  Cheditafa 
had  found  the  treasure,  was  that  he  would  talk  about 
it  in  Mexico  or  the  United  States.  But,  in  spite  of  the 
hazards  to  which  such  disclosures  might  expose  his 
fortunes,  the  captain  would  have  preferred  that  the 
black  men  should  have  been  pilferers  than  that  other 
men  should  have  been  discoverers.  But  who  else 
could  have  discovered  it!  "Who  could  have  been 
there?  Who  could  have  gone  away? 

There  was  but  one  reasonable  supposition,  and  that 
was  that  one  or  more  of  the  Kackbirds,  who  had  been 
away  from  their  camp  at  the  time  when  their  fellow- 
miscreants  were  swept  away  by  the  flood,  had  come 
back,  and  in  searching  for  their  comrades,  or  some 
traces  of  them,  had  made  their  way  to  the  caves.  It 
was  quite  possible,  and  further  it  was  quite  probable, 
that  the  man  or  men  who  had  found  that  mound  might 
still  be  here  or  in  the  neighborhood.  As  soon  as  this 
idea  came  into  the  mind  of  the  captain,  he  prepared 
for  action.  This  was  a  question  which  must  be  re 
solved  if  he  could  do  it,  and  without  loss  of  time. 

170 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Lighting  his  lantern,— for  in  that  black  darkness  it 
was  impossible  for  him  to  find  his  way  without  it, 
although  it  might  make  him  a  mark  for  some  con 
cealed  foe,— the  captain  quickly  made  his  way  out  of 
the  lake  cavern,  and,  leaving  his  lantern  near  the 
little  wall,  he  proceeded,  with  a  loaded  pistol  in  his 
hand,  to  make  an  examination  of  the  caves  which  he 
and  his  party  had  occupied. 

He  had  already  looked  into  the  first  compartment, 
but  stopping  at  the  pallet  which  lay  almost  at  the 
passage  of  the  doorway,  he  stood  and  regarded  it. 
Then  he  stepped  over  it,  and  looked  around  the  little 
room.  The  pallet  of  blankets  and  rugs  which  Kalph 
had  used  was  not  there.  Then  the  captain  stepped 
into  the  next  room,  and,  to  his  surprise,  he  found  this 
as  bare  of  everything  as  if  it  had  never  been  used  as 
a  sleeping-apartment.  He  now  hurried  back  to  the 
first  room,  and  examined  the  pallet,  which,  when 
he  had  first  been  looking  at  it,  he  had  thought  to  be 
somewhat  different  from  what  it  had  been  when  he 
had  used  it.  He  now  found  that  it  was  composed  of 
all  the  rugs  and  blankets  which  had  previously  made 
up  the  beds  of  all  the  party.  The  captain  ground  his 
teeth. 

"There  can  be  no  doubt  of  it,"  he  said.  "Some  one 
has  been  here  since  they  left,  and  has  slept  in  these 
caves." 

At  this  moment  he  remembered  the  innermost  cave, 
the  large  compartment  which  was  roofless,  and  which, 
in  his  excitement,  he  had  forgotten.  Perhaps  the  man 
who  slept  on  the  pallet  was  in  there  at  this  minute. 
How  reckless  he  had  been  !  To  what  danger  he  had 
exposed  himself !  With  his  pistol  cocked,  the  captain 

171 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

advanced  cautiously  toward  the  innermost  compart 
ment.  Putting  his  head  in  at  the  doorway,  he  glanced 
up,  down,  and  around.  He  called  out,  "Who's  here  ?  " 
and  then  he  entered,  and  looked  around,  and  behind 
each  of  the  massive  pieces  of  rock  with  which  the  floor 
was  strewn.  No  one  answered,  and  he  saw  no  one. 
But  he  saw  something  which  made  him  stare. 

On  the  ground,  at  one  side  of  the  entrance  to  this 
compartment,  were  five  or  six  pieces  of  rock  about  a 
foot  high,  placed  in  a  small  circle  so  that  their  tops 
came  near  enough  together  to  support  a  tin  kettle 
which  was  resting  upon  them.  Under  the  kettle,  in 
the  centre  of  the  rocks,  was  a  pile  of  burnt  leaves  and 
sticks. 

"Here  he  has  cooked  his  meals,"  said  the  captain— 
for  the  pallet  made  up  of  all  the  others  had  convinced 
him  that  it  had  been  one  man  who  had  been  here  after 
his  party  had  left.  "He  stayed  long  enough  to  cook 
his  meals  and  sleep,"  thought  the  captain.  "I'll  look 
into  this  provision  business."  Passing  through  the 
other  rooms,  he  went  to  a  deep  niche  in  the  wall  of  the 
entrance  passage  where  his  party  had  kept  their  stores, 
and  where  Edna  had  written  him  they  had  left  provi 
sions  enough  for  the  immediate  use  of  himself  and 
the  men  who  should  return.  Here  he  found  tin  cans 
tumbled  about  at  the  bottom  of  the  niche,  and  every 
one  of  them  absolutely  empty.  On  a  little  ledge  stood 
a  tin  box  in  which  they  had  kept  the  matches  and 
candles.  The  box  was  open,  but  there  was  nothing  in 
it.  On  the  floor  near  by  was  a  tin  biscuit-box,  crushed 
nearly  flat,  as  if  some  one  had  stamped  upon  it. 

"He  has  eaten  everything  that  was  left,"  said  the 
captain,  "and  he  has  been  starved  out.  Very  likely, 

172 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

too,  he  got  out  of  water,  for,  of  course,  those  pools  would 
dry  up,  and  it  is  not  likely  he  found  the  stream  out 
side." 

Now  the  captain  let  down  the  hammer  of  his 
revolver,  and  put  it  in  his  belt.  He  felt  sure  that 
the  man  was  not  here.  Being  out  of  provisions,  he 
had  to  go  away,  but  where  he  had  gone  to  was  useless 
to  conjecture.  Of  another  thing  the  captain  was  now 
convinced  :  the  intruder  had  not  been  a  Kackbird,  for, 
while  waiting  for  the  disappearance  of  the  Chilian 
schooner,  he  had  gone  over  to  the  concealed  store 
house  of  the  bandits,  and  had  found  it  just  as  he  had 
left  it  on  his  last  visit,  with  a  considerable  quantity  of 
stores  remaining  in  it.  If  the  man  had  known  of 
the  Kackbirds'  camp  and  this  storehouse,  it  would  not 
have  been  necessary  for  him  to  consume  every  crumb 
and  vestige  of  food  which  had  been  left  in  these  caves. 

"No,"  said  the  captain,  "it  could  not  have  been  a 
Kackbird,  but  who  he  was,  and  where  he  has  gone, 
is  beyond  my  comprehension." 


173 


CHAPTEK  XXII 

A  PACK-MULE 

WHEN  Captain  Horn  felt  quite  sure  that  it  was  not 
Ralph,  that  it  was  not  Cheditafa,  that  it  was  not  a 
Rackbird,  who  had  visited  the  treasure  mound,  he 
stood  and  reflected.  What  had  happened  was  a  great 
misfortune,— possiblyit  was  a  great  danger.,— but  it  was 
no  use  standing  there  thinking  about  it.  His  reason 
could  not  help  him ;  it  had  done  for  him  all  that  it 
could,  and  it  would  be  foolish  to  waste  time  in  looking 
for  the  man,  for  it  was  plain  enough  that  he  had  gone 
away.  Of  course,  he  had  taken  some  gold  with  him, 
but  that  did  not  matter  much.  The  danger  was  that 
he  or  others  might  come  back  for  more,  but  this  could 
not  be  prevented,  and  it  was  needless  to  consider  it. 
The  captain  had  come  to  this  deserted  shore  for  a 
purpose,  and  it  was  his  duty,  without  loss  of  time,  to 
go  to  work  and  carry  out  that  purpose.  If  in  any 
way  he  should  be  interfered  with,  he  would  meet  that 
interference  as  well  as  he  could,  but  until  it  came  he 
would  go  on  with  his  work.  Having  come  to  this 
conclusion,  he  got  over  the  wall,  lighted  his  lantern, 
and  proceeded  to  the  mound. 

On  his  way  he  passed  the  tin  cup,  which  he  had  for- 

174 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

gotten  to  pick  up,  but  now  he  merely  kicked  it  out 
of  the  way.  "If  the  man  comes  back,"  he  thought, 
"he  knows  the  way.  There  is  no  need  of  concealing 
anything." 

When  the  captain  had  reached  the  top  of  the  mound, 
he  moved  the  stone  lid  so  that  the  aperture  was  en 
tirely  uncovered.  Then  he  looked  down  upon  the 
mass  of  dull  yellow  bars.  He  could  not  perceive  any 
apparent  diminution  of  their  numbers. 

"He  must  have  filled  his  pockets,"  the  captain 
thought,  "and  so  full  that  some  of  them  dropped  out. 
Well,  let  him  go,  and  if  he  ventures  back  here,  we 
shall  have  it  out  between  us.  In  the  meantime,  I 
will  do  what  I  can." 

The  captain  now  took  from  the  pocket  of  his  jacket 
two  small  canvas  bags,  which  he  had  had  made  for 
this  purpose,  and  proceeded  to  fill  one  of  them  with 
the  gold  bars,  lifting  the  bag,  every  now  and  then,  to 
try  its  weight.  When  he  thought  it  heavy  enough, 
he  tied  up  the  end  very  firmly,  and  then  packed  the 
other,  as  nearly  as  possible,  to  the  same  extent.  Then 
he  got  down,  and  laying  one  of  the  bags  over  each 
shoulder,  he  walked  about  to  see  if  he  could  easily 
bear  their  weight. 

"That  is  about  right,"  he  said  to  himself.  "I  will 
count  them  when  I  take  them  out."  Then,  putting 
them  down,  he  went  up  for  his  lantern.  He  was  about 
to  close  the  lid  of  the  mound,  but  he  reflected  that 
this  would  be  of  no  use.  It  had  been  open  nobody 
knew  how  long,  and  might  as  well  remain  so.  He  was 
coming  back  as  often  as  he  could,  and  it  would  be  a 
tax  upon  his  strength  to  lift  that  heavy  lid  every  time. 
So  he  left  the  treasures  of  the  Incas  open  to  the  air 

175 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

under  the  black  roof  of  the  cavern,  and,  with  his 
lantern  in  his  hand  and  a  bag  of  gold  on  each  shoulder, 
he  left  the  cave  of  the  lake,  and  then,  concealing  his 
lantern,  he  walked  down  to  the  sea. 

Before  he  reached  it  he  had  thoroughly  scanned 
the  ocean,  but  not  a  sign  of  a  ship  could  be  seen. 
Walking  along  the  sands,  and  keeping,  as  before,  close 
to  the  curving  line  of  water  thrown  up  by  the  surf,  he 
said  to  himself : 

"I  must  have  my  eyes  and  ears  open,  but  I  am  not 
going  to  be  nervous  or  fidgety.  I  came  here  to  be  a 
pack-mule,  and  I  intend  to  be  a  pack-mule  until  some 
thing  stops  me,  and  if  that  something  is  one  man,  he 
can  look  out  for  himself." 

The  bags  were  heavy  and  their  contents  were  rough 
and  galling  to  the  shoulders,  but  the  captain  was 
strong  and  his  muscles  were  tough,  and  as  he  walked 
he  planned  a  pair  of  cushions  which  he  would  wear 
under  his  golden  epaulets  in  his  future  marches. 

When  the  captain  had  covered  the  two  miles  of 
beach  and  climbed  the  two  rocky  ridges,  and  reached 
his  tent,  it  was  long  after  noon,  and  throwing  his  two 
bags  on  the  ground  and  covering  them  with  a  blanket, 
he  proceeded  to  prepare  his  dinner.  He  laid  out  a 
complete  working-plan,  and  one  of  the  rules  he  had 
made  was  that,  if  possible,  nothing  should  interfere 
with  his  regular  meals  and  hours  of  sleep.  The  work 
he  had  set  for  himself  was  arduous  in  the  extreme,  and 
calculated  to  tax  his  energies  to  the  utmost,  and  he 
must  take  very  good  care  of  his  health  and  strength. 
In  thinking  over  the  matter,  he  had  feared  that  the 
greed  of  gold  might  possess  him,  and  that,  in  his  anx- 

176 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

iety  to  carry  away  as  much  as  lie  could,  he  might 
break  down,  and  everything  be  lost. 

Even  now  he  found  himself  calculating  how  much 
gold  he  had  brought  away  in  the  two  bags,  and  what 
would  be  its  value  in  coined  money,  multiplying  and 
estimating  with  his  food  untouched  and  his  eyes  fixed 
on  the  distant  sea.  Suddenly  he  clenched  his  fist  and 
struck  it  on  his  knee. 

"I  must  stop  this,"  he  said.  "I  shall  be  upset  if 
I  don't.  I  will  not  count  the  bars  in  those  bags.  I 
will  not  make  any  more  estimates.  A  rough  guess  now 
and  then  I  cannot  help,  but  what  I  have  to  do  is  to 
bring  away  all  the  gold  I  can.  It  will  be  time  enough 
to  find  out  what  it  is  worth  when  it  is  safe  somewhere 
in  North  America." 

When  the  captain  had  finished  his  meal,  he  went  to 
his  tent,  and  opened  one  of  the  trunks  which  he  had 
brought  with  him,  and  which  were  supposed  to  con 
tain  the  clothes  and  personal  effects  he  had  bought  in 
Lima.  This  trunk,  however,  was  entirely  filled  with 
rolls  of  cheap  cotton  cloth,  coarse  and  strong,  but  not 
heavy.  With  a  pair  of  shears  he  proceeded  to  cut 
from  one  of  these  some  pieces,  rather  more  than  a  foot 
square.  Then,  taking  from  his  canvas  bags  as  many 
of  the  gold  bars  as  he  thought  would  weigh  twelve  or 
fifteen  pounds,  trying  not  to  count  them  as  he  did  so, 
he  made  a  little  package  of  them,  tying  the  corners  of 
the  cloth  together  with  a  strong  cord.  When  five  of 
these  bundles  had  been  prepared,  his  gold  was  ex 
hausted,  and  then  he  carried  the  small  bundles  out 
to  the  guano-bags. 

He  had  bought  his  guano  in  bulk,  and  it  had  been 

177 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

put  into  bags  under  his  own  supervision,  for  it  was 
only  in  bags  that  the  ship  which  was  to  take  it  north 
would  receive  it.  The  bags  were  new  and  good,  and 
Captain  Horn  believed  that  each  of  them  could  be 
made  twelve  or  fifteen  pounds  heavier  without  at 
tracting  the  attention  of  those  who  might  have  to 
lift  them,  for  they  were  very  heavy  as  it  was. 

He  now  opened  a  bag  of  guano,  and  thrusting  a 
stick  down  into  its  contents,  he  twisted  it  about  until 
he  had  made  a  cavity  which  enabled  him,  with  a  little 
trouble,  to  thrust  one  of  the  packages  of  gold  down 
into  the  centre  of  the  bag.  Then  he  pressed  the  guano 
down  firmly,  and  sewed  up  the  bag  again,  being  pro 
vided  with  needles  and  an  abundance  of  necessary  cord. 
When  this  was  done,  the  bag  containing  the  gold  did 
not  differ  in  appearance  from  the  others,  and  the  cap 
tain  again  assured  himself  that  the  additional  weight 
would  not  be  noticed  by  a  common  stevedore,  espe 
cially  if  all  the  bags  were  about  the  same  weight.  At 
this  thought  he  stopped  work  and  looked  out  toward 
the  sea,  his  mind  involuntarily  leaping  out  toward 
calculations  based  upon  the  happy  chance  of  his  being 
able  to  load  all  the  bags  ;  but  he  checked  himself. 
"Stop  that,"  he  said.  "Go  to  work  !  " 
Five  guano-bags  were  packed,  each  with  its  bundle 
of  gold,  but  the  task  was  a  disagreeable,  almost  a  dis 
tressing,  one,  for  the  strong  aminoniacal  odor  some 
times  almost  overpowered  the  captain,  who  had  a  great 
dislike  for  such  smells.  But  he  never  drew  back,  ex 
cept  now  and  then  to  turn  his  head  and  take  a  breath 
of  purer  air.  He  was  trying  to  make  his  fortune,  and 
when  men  are  doing  that,  their  likes  and  dislikes  must 
stand  aside. 

178 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

AVhen  this  task  was  finished,  the  captain  took  up 
his  two  empty  canvas  bags  and  went  back  to  the  caves, 
returning  late  in  the  afternoon,  loaded  rather  more 
heavily  than  before.  From  the  experiences  of  the 
morning,  he  believed  that,  with  some  folded  pieces  of 
cloth  on  each  shoulder,  he  could  carry  without  discom 
fort  a  greater  weight  than  his  first  ones.  The  gold  he 
now  brought  was  made  up  into  six  bundles,  and  then 
the  captain  rested  from  his  labors.  He  felt  that  he 
could  do  a  much  better  day's  work  than  this,  but  this 
day  had  been  very  much  broken  up,  and  he  was  still 
somewhat  awkward. 

Day  after  day  Captain  Horn  labored  at  his  new 
occupation,  and  a  toilsome  occupation  it  was,  which 
no  one  who  did  not  possess  great  powers  of  endurance, 
and  great  hopes  from  the  results  of  his  work,  could 
have  undergone.  In  about  a  month  the  schooner  was 
to  be  expected  with  another  load  of  guano,  and  the 
captain  felt  that  he  must,  if  possible,  finish  his  task 
before  she  came  back.  In  a  few  days  he  found  that,  by 
practice  and  improvements  in  his  system  of  work,  he 
was  able  to  make  four  trips  a  day  between  the  cove  of 
the  Eackbirds  and  the  caves.  He  rose  very  early  in  the 
morning,  and  made  two  trips  before  dinner.  Some 
times  he  thought  he  might  do  more,  but  he  restrained 
himself.  It  would  not  do  for  him  to  get  back  too 
tired  to  sleep. 

During  this  time  in  which  his  body  was  so  actively 
employed,  his  mind  was  almost  as  active,  and  went  out 
on  all  sorts  of  excursions,  some  of  them  beneficial  and 
some  of  them  otherwise.  Sometimes  the  thought  came 
to  him,  as  he  plodded  along  bearing  his  heavy  bags, 
that  he  was  no  more  than  a  common  thief,  carrying 

179 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

away  treasures  which  did  not  belong  to  him.  Then, 
of  course,  he  began  to  reason  away  these  uncomfortable 
reflections.  If  this  treasure  did  not  belong  to  him,  to 
whom  did  it  belong?  Certainly  not  to  the  descend 
ants  of  those  Spaniards  from  whom  the  original  owners 
had  striven  so  hard  to  conceal  it.  If  the  spirits  of  the 
Incas  could  speak,  they  would  certainly  declare  in  his 
favor  over  that  of  the  children  of  the  men  who,  in 
blood  and  torture,  had  obliterated  them  and  their 
institutions.  Sometimes  such  arguments  entirely  satis 
fied  the  captain ;  but  if  they  did  not  entirely  satisfy 
him,  he  put  the  whole  matter  aside,  to  be  decided  upon 
after  he  should  safely  reach  the  United  States  with 
such  treasure  as  he  might  be  able  to  take  with  him. 

"Then,"  he  thought,  "we  can  do  what  we  think  is 
right.  I  shall  listen  to  all  that  may  be  said  by  our 
party,  and  shall  act  justly.  But  what  I  do  not  take 
away  with  me  has  no  chance  whatever  of  ever  falling 
into  the  proper  hands." 

But  no  matter  how  he  might  terminate  such  reflec 
tions,  the  captain  always  blamed  himself  for  allowing 
his  mind  to  occupy  itself  with  them.  He  had  fully 
decided  that  this  treasure  belonged  to  him,  and  there 
was  no  real  reason  for  his  thinking  of  such  things, 
except  that  he  had  no  one  to  talk  to,  and  in  such 
cases  a  man's  thoughts  are  apt  to  run  wild. 

Often  and  often  he  wondered  what  the  others  were 
thinking  about  this  affair,  and  whether  or  not  they 
would  all  be  able  to  keep  the  secret  until  he  returned. 
He  was  somewhat  afraid  of  Mrs.  Cliff.  He  believed 
her  to  be  an  honorable  woman  who  would  not  break 
her  word,  but  still  he  did  not  know  all  her  ideas  in 
regard  to  her  duty.  She  might  think  there  was  some 

180 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

one  to  whom  she  ought  to  confide  what  had  appened, 
and  what  was  expected  to  happen,  and  if  she  should 
do  this,  there  was  no  reason  why  he  should  not,  some 
day,  descry  a  ship  in  the  offing  with  treasure-hunters 
on  board. 

Ralph  gave  him  no  concern  at  all,  except  that  he  was 
young,  and  the  captain  could  foretell  the  weather  much 
better  than  the  probable  actions  of  a  youth. 

But  these  passing  anxieties  never  amounted  to  sus 
picions.  It  was  far  better  to  believe  in  Mrs.  Cliff  and 
Ralph,  and  he  would  do  it ;  and  every  time  he  thought 
of  the  two,  he  determined  to  believe  in  them.  As  to 
Edna,  there  was  no  question  about  believing  in  her. 
He  did  so  without  consideration  for  or  against  belief. 

The  captain  did  not  like  his  solitary  life.  How 
happy  he  would  have  been  if  they  could  all  have  re 
mained  here  ;  if  the  guano  could  have  been  brought 
without  the  crew  of  the  schooner  knowing  that  there 
were  people  in  the  caves ;  if  the  negroes  could  have 
carried  the  bags  of  gold  ;  if  every  night,  after  having 
superintended  their  labors,  he  could  have  gone  back 
to  the  caves,  which,  with  the  comforts  he  could  have 
brought  from  Lima,  would  have  made  a  very  habitable 
home ;  if—  But  these  were  reflections  which  were 
always  doomed  to  banishment  as  soon  as  the  captain 
became  aware  of  the  inthralment  of  their  charm,  and 
sturdily  onward,  endeavoring  to  fix  his  mind  upon 
some  better  sailor's  knot  with  which  to  tie  up  his 
bundles,  or  to  plant  his  feet  where  his  tracks  would 
soon  be  obliterated  by  the  incoming  waves,  the  strong 
man  trudged,  bearing  bravely  the  burden  of  his  golden 
hopes. 


181 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

HIS  PRESENT  SHAKE 

WITH  four  trips  a  day  from  the  caves  to  the  cove, 
taking  time  for  rests,  for  regular  meals,  and  for  sleep, 
and  not  working  on  Sundays,— for  he  kept  a  diary 
and  an  account  of  days, — the  captain  succeeded  in  a 
little  over  three  weeks  in  loading  his  bags  of  guano, 
each  with  a  package  of  golden  bars,  some  of  which 
must  have  weighed  as  much  as  fifteen  pounds. 

When  this  work  had  been  accomplished,  he  began 
to  consider  the  return  of  the  schooner.  But  he  had  no 
reason  to  expect  her  yet,  and  he  determined  to  con 
tinue  his  work.  Each  day  he  brought  eight  canvas 
bags  of  gold  from  the  caves,  and  making  them  up 
into  small  bundles,  he  buried  them  in  the  sand  under 
his  tent.  When  a  full  month  had  elapsed  since  the  de 
parture  of  the  schooner,  he  began  to  be  very  prudent, 
keeping  a  careful  lookout  seaward,  as  he  walked  the 
beach,  and  never  entering  the  caves  without  mounting 
a  high  point  of  the  rocks  and  thoroughly  scanning  the 
ocean.  If,  when  bearing  his  burden  of  gold,  he  should 
have  seen  a  sail,  he  would  have  instantly  stopped  and 
buried  his  bags  in  the  sand,  wherever  he  might  be. 

Day  after  day  passed,  and  larger  and  larger  grew 

182 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  treasure  stored  in  the  sands  under  the  tent,  but 
no  sail  appeared.  Sometimes  the  captain  could  not 
prevent  evil  fancies  coming  to  him.  What  if  the  ship 
should  never  come  back?  What  if  no  vessel  should 
touch  here  for  a  year  or  two  *?  And  why  should  a  vessel 
ever  touch?  When  the  provisions  he  had  brought 
and  those  left  in  the  Kackbirds'  storehouse  had  been 
exhausted,  what  could  he  do  but  lie  down  here  and 
perish? — another  victim  added  to  the  millions  who 
had  already  perished  from  the  thirst  of  gold.  He 
thought  of  his  little  party  in  San  Francisco.  They 
surely  would  send  in  search  of  him,  if  he  did  not  ap 
pear  in  a  reasonable  time.  But  he  felt  this  hope  was 
a  vain  one.  In  a  letter  to  Edna,  written  from  Lima, 
he  had  told  her  she  must  not  expect  to  hear  from  him 
for  a  long  time,  for,  while  he  was  doing  the  work  he 
contemplated,  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  com 
municate  with  her. 

She  would  have  no  reason  to  suppose  that  he  would 
start  on  such  an  expedition  without  making  due 
arrangements  for  safety  and  support,  and  so  would 
hesitate  long  before  she  would  commission  a  vessel  to 
touch  at  this  point  in  search  of  him.  If  he  should 
starve  here,  he  would  die  months  before  any  reasonable 
person,  who  knew  as  much  of  his  affairs  as  did  Edna, 
would  think  the  time  had  arrived  to  send  a  relief 
expedition  for  him. 

But  he  did  not  starve.  Ten  days  overdue,  at  last 
the  Chilian  schooner  appeared  and  anchored  in  the 
cove.  She  had  now  no  white  men  on  board  but  the 
captain  and  his  mate,  for  the  negroes  had  improved 
so  much  in  seamanship  that  the  economical  captain 
had  dispensed  with  his  Chilian  crew. 

183 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Captain  Horn  was  delighted  to  be  able  to  speak 
again  to  a  fellow-being,  and  it  pleased  him  far  better 
to  see  Maka  than  any  of  the  others. 

"You  no  eat  'nough,  cap'n,"  said  the  black  man, 
as  he  anxiously  scanned  the  countenance  of  Captain 
Horn,  which,  although  the  captain  was  in  better 
physical  condition  than  perhaps  he  had  ever  been  in 
his  life,  was  thinner  than  when  Maka  had  seen  it  last. 
"When  I  cook  for  you,  you  not  so  long  face,"  the 
negro  continued.  "Didn't  us  leave  you  'nough  to 
eat?  Did  you  eat  'em  raw?" 

The  captain  laughed.  "I  have  had  plenty  to  eat," 
he  said,  "and  I  never  felt  better.  If  I  had  not  taken 
exercise,  you  would  have  found  me  as  fat  as  a  por 
poise." 

The  interview  with  the  Chilian  captain  was  not  so 
cordial,  for  Captain  Horn  found  that  the  Chilian  had 
not  brought  him  a  full  cargo  of  bags  of  guano,  and,  by 
searching  questions,  he  discovered  that  this  was  due 
entirely  to  unnecessary  delay  in  beginning  to  load 
the  vessel.  The  Chilian  declared  he  would  have 
taken  on  board  all  the  guano  which  Captain  Horn  had 
purchased  at  the  smaller  island,  had  he  not  begun  to 
fear  that  Captain  Horn  would  suffer  if  he  did  not 
soon  return  to  him,  and  when  he  thought  it  was  not 
safe  to  wait  any  longer,  he  had  sailed  with  a  partial 
cargo. 

Captain  Horn  was  very  angry,  for  every  bag  of 
guano  properly  packed  with  gold  bars  meant,  at  a 
rough  estimate,  between  two  and  three  thousand 
dollars  if  it  safely  reached  a  gold-market,  and  now  he 
found  himself  with  at  least  one  hundred  bags  less  than 
he  had  expected  to  pack.  There  was  no  time  to 

184 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

repair  this  loss,  for  the  English  vessel,  the  Finland, 
from  Callao  to  Acapulco,  which  the  captain  had  en 
gaged  to  stop  at  this  point  on  her  next  voyage  north 
ward,  might  be  expected  in  two  or  three  weeks, 
certainly  sooner  than  the  Chilian  could  get  back  to 
the  guano  island  and  return.  In  fact,  there  was 
barely  time  for  that  vessel  to  reach  Callao  before  the 
departure  of  the  Finland,  on  board  of  which  the  cap 
tain  wished  his  negroes  to  be  placed,  that  they  might 
go  home  with  him. 

"If  I  had  any  men  to  work  my  vessel,"  said  the 
Chilian,  who  had  grown  surly  in  consequence  of  the 
fault-finding,  "I'd  leave  your  negroes  here,  and  cut 
loose  from  the  whole  business.  I've  had  enough  of  it." 

"That  serves  you  right  for  discharging  your  own 
men  in  order  that  you  might  work  your  vessel  with 
mine,"  said  Captain  Horn.  He  had  intended  to  insist 
that  the  negroes  should  ship  again  with  the  Chilian, 
but  he  knew  that  it  would  be  more  difficult  to  find 
reasons  for  this  than  on  the  previous  voyage,  and  he 
was  really  more  than  glad  to  find  that  the  matter  had 
thus  arranged  itself. 

Talking  with  Captain  Horn,  the  Chilian  mate,  who 
had  had  no  responsibility  in  this  affair,  and  who  was, 
consequently,  not  out  of  humor,  proposed  that  he 
should  go  back  with  them,  and  take  the  English  vessel 
at  Callao. 

"I  can't  risk  it,"  said  Captain  Horn.  "If  your 
schooner  should  meet  with  head  winds  or  any  other 
bad  luck,  and  the  Finland  should  leave  before  I  got 
there,  there  would  be  a  pretty  kettle  of  fish,  and  if 
she  touched  here  and  found  no  one  in  charge,  I  don't 
believe  she  would  take  away  a  bag." 

185 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 


"Do  you  think  they  will  be  sure  to  touch  here?" 
asked  the  mate.  "Have  they  got  the  latitude  and 
longitude?  It  didn't  seem  so  bad  before  to  leave  you 
behind,  because  we  were  coming  back,  but  now  it 
strikes  me  it  is  rather  a  risky  piece  of  business  for 
you." 

"No,"  said  Captain  Horn.  "I  am  acquainted  with 
the  skipper  of  the  Finland,  and  I  left  a  letter  for  him 
telling  him  exactly  how  the  matter  stood,  and  he 
knows  that  I  trust  him  to  pick  me  up.  I  do  not  sup 
pose  he  will  expect  to  find  me  here  all  alone,  but  if 
he  gives  me  the  slip,  I  would  be  just  as  likely  to  starve 
to  death  if  I  had  some  men  with  me  as  if  I  were 
alone.  The  Finland  will  stop—  I  am  sure  of  that," 

With  every  reason  for  the  schooner's  reaching 
Callao  as  soon  as  possible,  and  very  little  reason, 
considering  the  uncordial  relations  of  the  two  cap 
tains,  for  remaining  in  the  cove,  the  Chilian  set  sail 
the  morning  after  he  had  discharged  his  unsavory 
cargo.  Maka  had  begged  harder  than  before  to  be 
allowed  to  remain  with  Captain  Horn,  but  the  latter 
had  made  him  understand,  as  well  as  he  could,  the 
absolute  necessity  of  the  schooner  reaching  Callao 
in  good  time,  and  the  absolute  impossibility  of  any 
vessel  doing  anything  in  good  time  without  a  cook. 
Therefore,  after  a  personal  inspection  of  the  stores  left 
behind,  both  in  the  tent  and  in  the  Rackbirds'  store 
house,  which  latter  place  he  visited  with  great  secrecy, 
Maka,  with  a  sad  heart,  was  obliged  to  leave  the  only 
real  friend  he  had  on  earth. 

When,  early  the  next  morning,  Captain  Horn  began 
to  pack  the  newly  arrived  bags  with  the  bundles  of 
gold  which  he  had  buried  in  the  sand,  he  found  that 

186 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  bags  were  not  at  all  in  the  condition  of  those  the 
filling  of  which  he  had  supervised  himself.  Some  of 
these  were  more  heavily  filled  than  others,  and  many 
were  badly  fastened  up.  This,  of  course,  necessitated 
a  good  deal  of  extra  work,  but  the  captain  sadly 
thought  that  probably  he  would  have  more  time  than 
he  needed  to  do  all  that  was  necessary  to  get  this 
second  cargo  into  fair  condition  for  transportation. 
He  had  checked  off  his  little  bundles  as  he  had  buried 
them,  and  there  were  nearly  enough  to  fill  all  the 
bags.  In  fact,  he  had  to  make  but  three  more  trips 
in  order  to  finish  the  business. 

When  the  work  was  done,  and  everything  was 
ready  for  the  arrival  of  the  Finland,  the  captain  felt 
that  he  had  good  reason  to  curse  the  conscienceless 
Chilian  whose  laziness  or  carelessness  had  not  only 
caused  him  the  loss  of  perhaps  a  quarter  of  a  million 
of  dollars,  but  had  given  him  days  —  how  many  he 
could  not  know — with  nothing  to  do ;  and  which  of 
these  two  evils  might  prove  the  worse,  the  captain 
could  not  readily  determine. 

As  Captain  Horn  walked  up  and  down  the  long 
double  rows  of  bags  which  contained  what  he  hoped 
would  become  his  fortune,  he  could  not  prevent  a 
feeling  of  resentful  disappointment  when  he  thought 
of  the  small  proportion  borne  by  the  gold  in  these 
bags  to  the  treasure  yet  remaining  in  the  mound. 
On  his  last  visit  to  the  mound  he  had  carefully  ex 
amined  its  interior,  and  although,  of  course,  there 
was  a  great  diminution  in  its  contents,  there  was  no 
reason  to  believe  that  the  cavity  of  the  mound  did 
not  extend  downward  to  the  floor  of  the  cave,  and 
that  it  remained  packed  with  gold  bars  to  the  depth 

187 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

of  several  feet.  It  seemed  silly,  crazy,  in  fact,  almost 
wicked,  for  him  to  sail  away  in  the  Finland  and  leave 
all  that  gold  behind,  and  yet,  how  could  he  possibly 
take  away  any  more  of  it  ? 

He  had  with  him  a  trunk  nearly  empty,  in  which 
he  might  pack  some  blankets  and  other  stuff  with 
some  bags  of  gold  stowed  away  between  them,  but 
more  than  fifty  pounds  added  to  the  weight  of  the 
trunk  and  its  contents  would  make  it  suspiciously 
heavy,  and  what  was  fifty  pounds  out  of  that  vast 
mass?  But  although  he  puzzled  his  brains  for  the 
greater  part  of  a  day,  trying  to  devise  some  method 
by  which  he  could  take  away  more  gold  without  ex 
citing  the  suspicions  of  the  people  on  board  the 
English  vessel,  there  was  no  plan  that  entered  his 
mind  that  did  not  contain  elements  of  danger,  and 
the  danger  was  an  appalling  one.  If  the  crew  of  the 
Finland,  or  the  crew  of  any  other  vessel,  should,  on 
this  desert  coast,  get  scent  of  a  treasure  mound  of 
gold  ingots,  he  might  as  well  attempt  to  reason  with 
wild  beasts  as  to  try  to  make  them  understand  that 
that  treasure  belonged  to  him.  If  he  could  get  away 
with  any  of  it,  or  even  with  his  life,  he  ought  to  be 
thankful. 

The  captain  was  a  man  who,  since  he  had  come  to 
an  age  of  maturity,  had  been  in  the  habit  of  turning 
his  mind  this  way  and  that  as  he  would  turn  the  helm 
of  his  vessel,  and  of  holding  it  to  the  course  he  had 
determined  upon,  no  matter  how  strong  the  wind  or 
wave,  how  dense  the  fog,  or  how  black  the  night. 
But  never  had  he  stood  to  his  helm  as  he  now  stood 
to  a  resolve. 

"I  will  bring  away  a  couple  of  bags,"  said  he,  "to 

188 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

put  in  my  trunk,  and  then,  I  swear  to  myself,  I  will 
not  think  another  minute  about  carrying  away  any 
more  of  that  gold  than  what  is  packed  in  these  guano- 
bags.  If  I  can  ever  come  back,  I  will  come  back,  but 
what  I  have  to  do  now  is  to  get  away  with  what  I 
have  already  taken  out  of  the  mound,  and  also  to  get 
away  with  sound  reason  and  steady  nerves." 

The  next  day  there  was  not  a  sail  on  the  far 
horizon,  and  the  captain  brought  away  two  bags  of 
gold.  These,  with  some  clothes,  he  packed  in  his 
empty  trunk. 

"Now,"  said  he,  "this  is  my  present  share.  If  I 
permit  myself  to  think  of  taking  another  bar,  I  shall 
be  committing  a  crime." 


CHAPTEE  XXIV 

HIS  FORTUNE   UNDER  HIS   FEET 

NOTWITHSTANDING  the  fact  that  the  captain  had,  for 
the  present,  closed  his  account  with  the  treasure  in 
the  lake  cave,  and  had  determined  not  to  give  another 
thought  to  further  drafts  upon  it,  he  could  not  prevent 
all  sorts  of  vague  and  fragmentary  plans  for  getting 
more  of  the  gold  from  thrusting  themselves  upon 
him ;  but  his  hand  was  strong  upon  the  tiller  of  his 
mind,  and  his  course  did  not  change  a  point.  He 
now  began  to  consider  in  what  condition  he  should 
leave  the  caves.  Once  he  thought  he  would  go  there 
and  take  away  everything  which  might  indicate  that 
the  caves  had  been  inhabited,  but  this  notion  he 
discarded. 

"There  are  a  good  many  people/'  he  thought,  "who 
know  that  we  lived  there,  and  if  that  man  who  was 
there  afterwards  should  come  back,  I  would  prefer 
that  he  should  not  notice  any  changes,  unless,  indeed," 
—and  his  eyes  glistened  as  a  thought  darted  into  his 
mind, — "unless,  indeed,  he  should  find  a  lake  where 
he  left  a  dry  cave.  Good  !  I'll  try  it." 

With  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  the  captain  stood  a 
few  moments  and  thought,  and  then  he  went  to  work. 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

From  the  useless  little  vessel  which  had  belonged 
to  the  Rackbirds  he  gathered  some  bits  of  old  rope, 
and  having  cut  these  into  short  pieces,  he  proceeded 
to  pick  them  into  what  sailors  call  oakum. 

Early  the  next  morning,  his  two  canvas  bags  filled 
with  this,  he  started  for  the  caves.  When  he  reached 
the  top  of  the  mound,  and  was  just  about  to  hold  his 
lantern  so  as  to  take  a  final  glance  into  its  interior, 
he  suddenly  turned  away  his  head  and  shut  his 
eyes. 

"No,"  he  said.  "If  I  do  that,  it  is  ten  to  one  I'll 
jump  inside,  and  what  might  happen  next  nobody 
knows." 

He  put  the  lantern  aside,  lifted  the  great  lid  into 
its  place,  and  then,  with  a  hammer  and  a  little  chisel 
which  he  had  brought  with  him  from  the  tools  which 
had  been  used  for  the  building  of  the  pier,  he  packed 
the  crevices  about  the  lid  with  oakum.  With  a 
mariner's  skill  he  worked,  and  when  his  job  was 
finished,  it  would  have  been  difficult  for  a  drop  of 
water  to  have  found  its  way  into  the  dome,  no  matter 
if  it  rose  high  above  it. 

It  was  like  leaving  behind  a  kingdom  and  a  throne, 
the  command  of  armies  and  vast  navies,  the  domina 
tion  of  power,  of  human  happenings ;  but  he  came 
away. 

When  he  reached  the  portion  of  the  cave  near  the 
great  gap  which  opened  to  the  sky  opposite  the  en 
trance  to  the  outer  caves,  the  captain  walked  across 
the  dry  floor  to  the  place  where  was  situated  the  out 
let  through  which  the  waters  of  the  lake  had  poured 
out  into  the  Kackbirds'  valley. 

The  machine  which  controlled  this  outlet  was 
191 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

situated  under  the  overhanging  ledge  of  the  cave,  and 
was  in  darkness,  so  that  the  captain  was  obliged  to 
use  his  lantern.  He  soon  found  the  great  lever  which 
he  had  clutched  when  he  had  swum  to  the  rescue  of 
Kalph,  and  which  had  gone  down  with  him  and  so 
opened  the  valve  and  permitted  egress  of  the  water, 
and  which  now  lay  with  its  ten  feet  or  more  of  length 
horizontally  near  the  ground.  Near  by  was  the  great 
pipe,  with  its  circular  blackness  leading  into  the 
depths  below. 

"That  stream  outside,"  said  the  captain,  "must  run 
in  here  somewhere,  although  I  cannot  see  nor  hear  it, 
and  it  must  be  stopped  off  by  this  valve  or  another  one 
connected  with  it,  so  that  if  I  can  get  this  lever  up 
again,  I  should  shut  it  off  from  the  stream  outside 
and  turn  it  in  here.  Then,  if  that  fellow  comes  back, 
he  will  have  to  swim  to  the  mound,  and  run  a  good 
chance  of  getting  drowned  if  he  does  it,  and  if  any 
body  else  comes  here,  I  think  it  will  be  as  safe  as  the 
ancient  Peruvians  once  made  it." 

With  this  he  took  hold  of  the  great  lever  and 
attempted  to  raise  it.  But  he  found  the  operation  a 
very  difficult  one.  The  massive  bar  was  of  metal, 
but  probably  not  iron,  and  although  it  was  not  likely 
that  it  had  rusted,  it  was  very  hard  to  move  in  its 
socket.  The  captain's  weight  had  brought  it  down 
easily,  but  this  weight  could  not  now  be  applied,  and 
he  could  only  attempt  to  lift  it. 

When  it  had  first  been  raised,  it  was  likely  that  a 
dozen  slaves  had  seized  it  and  forced  it  into  an  upright 
position.  The  captain  pushed  up  bravely,  and,  a  few 
inches  at  a  time,  he  elevated  the  end  of  the  great 
lever.  Frequently  he  stopped  to  rest,  and  it  was 

192 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

over  an  hour  before  the  bar  stood  up  as  it  had  been 
when  first  he  felt  it  under  the  water. 

When  this  was  done,  he  went  into  the  other  caves, 
looked  about  to  see  that  everything  was  in  the  con 
dition  in  which  he  had  found  it,  and  that  he  had  left 
nothing  behind  him  during  his  many  visits.  When 
he  was  satisfied  on  these  points,  he  went  back  to  the 
lake  cave  to  see  if  any  water  had  run  in.  He  found 
everything  as  dry  as  when  he  had  left  it,  nor  could 
he  hear  any  sound  of  running  or  dripping  water. 
Considering  the  matter,  however,  he  concluded  that 
there  might  be  some  sort  of  an  outside  reservoir 
which  must  probably  fill  up  before  the  water  ran  into 
the  cave,  and  so  he  came  away. 

"I  will  give  it  time/'  he  thought,  "and  come  back 
to-morrow  to  see  if  it  is  flooded." 

That  night,  as  he  lay  on  his  little  pallet,  looking 
through  the  open  front  of  his  tent  at  the  utter  dark 
ness  of  the  night,  the  idea  struck  him  that  it  was 
strange  that  he  was  not  afraid  to  stay  here  alone. 
He  was  a  brave  man, — he  knew  that  very  well, — and 
yet  it  seemed  odd  to  him  that,  under  the  circum 
stances,  he  should  have  so  little  fear.  But  his  reason 
soon  gave  him  a  good  answer.  He  had  known  times 
when  he  had  been  very  much  afraid,  and  among  these 
stood  preeminent  the  time  when  he  had  expected  an 
attack  from  the  Rackbirds.  But  then  his  fear  was  for 
others.  When  he  was  by  himself  it  was  a  different 
matter.  It  was  not  often  that  he  did  not  feel  able 
to  take  care  of  his  own  safety.  If  there  were  any 
danger  now,  it  was  in  the  daytime,  when  some  stray 
Rackbirds  might  come  back,  or  the  pilferer  of  the 
mound  might  return  with  companions.  But  if  any 

193 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

such  came,  lie  had  his  little  fort,  two  pistols,  and 
a  repeating  rifle.  At  night  he  felt  absolutely  safe. 
There  was  no  danger  that  could  come  by  land  or  sea 
through  the  blackness  of  the  night. 

Suddenly  he  sat  up.  His  forehead  was  moist  with 
perspiration.  A  shiver  ran  through  him,  not  of  cold, 
but  of  fear.  Never  in  his  life  had  he  been  so  thor 
oughly  frightened  ;  never  before  had  he  felt  his  hands 
and  legs  tremble.  Involuntarily  he  rose  and  stood  up 
in  the  tent.  He  was  terrified,  not  by  anything  real, 
but  by  the  thought  of  what  might  happen  if  that  lake 
cave  should  fill  up  with  water,  and  if  the  ancient 
valves,  perhaps  weakened  by  his  moving  them  back 
ward  and  forward,  should  give  way  under  the  great 
pressure,  and,  for  a  second  time,  a  torrent  of  water 
should  come  pouring  down  the  Rackbirds?  ravine  ! 

As  the  captain  trembled  writh  fear,  it  was  not  for 
himself,  for  he  could  listen  for  the  sound  of  the  rush 
ing  waters,  and  could  dash  away  to  the  higher  ground 
behind  him ;  but  it  was  for  his  treasure -bags,  his  for 
tune,  his  future  !  His  soul  quaked.  His  first  impulse 
was  to  rush  out  and  carry  every  bag  to  higher  ground. 
But  this  idea  was  absurd.  The  night  was  too  dark,  and 
the  bags  too  heavy  and  too  many.  Then  he  thought 
of  hurrying  away  to  the  caves  to  see  if  the  lake  had 
risen  high  enough  to  be  dangerous.  But  what  could 
he  do  if  it  had  1  In  his  excitement,  he  could  not  stand 
still  and  do  nothing.  He  took  hold  of  one  end  of  his 
trunk  and  pulled  it  out  of  his  tent,  and,  stumbling 
and  floundering  over  the  inequalities  of  the  ground, 
he  at  last  got  it  to  a  place  which  he  supposed  would 
be  out  of  reach  of  a  sudden  flood,  and  the  difficulties 
of  this  little  piece  of  work  assured  him  of  the  utter 

194 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

futility  of  attempting  to  move  the  bags  in  the  dark 
ness.  He  had  a  lantern,  but  that  would  be  of  little 
service  on  such  a  night  and  for  such  a  work. 

He  went  back  into  his  tent,  and  tried  to  prevail 
upon  himself  that  he  ought  to  go  to  sleep— that  it 
was  ridiculous  to  beset  himself  with  imaginary 
dangers,  and  to  suffer  from  them  as  much  as  if  they 
had  been  real  ones.  But  such  reasoning  was  vain,  and 
he  sat  up  or  walked  about  near  his  tent  all  night, 
listening  and  listening,  and  trying  to  think  of  the 
best  thing  to  do  if  he  should  hear  a  coming  flood. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light,  he  hurried  to  the  caves,  and 
when  he  reached  the  old  bed  of  the  lake,  he  found 
there  was  not  a  drop  of  water  in  it. 

"The  thing  doesn't  work!"  he  cried  joyfully. 
"Fool  that  I  am,  I  might  have  known  that  although 
a  man  might  open  a  valve  two  or  three  centuries  old, 
he  should  not  expect  to  shut  it  up  again.  I  suppose 
I  smashed  it  utterly." 

His  revulsion  of  feeling  was  so  great  that  he  began 
to  laugh  at  his  own  absurdity,  and  then  he  laughed  at 
his  merriment. 

"If  any  one  should  see  me  now,"  he  thought,  "they 
would  surely  think  I  had  gone  crazy  over  my  wealth. 
Well,  there  is  no  danger  from  a  flood,  but,  to  make 
all  things  more  than  safe,  I  will  pull  down  this  handle, 
if  it  will  come.  Anyway,  I  do  not  want  it  seen." 

The  great  bar  came  down  much  easier  than  it  had 
gone  up,  moving,  in  fact,  the  captain  thought,  as  if 
some  of  its  detachments  were  broken,  and  when  it 
was  down  as  far  as  it  would  go,  he  came  away. 

"Now,"  said  he,  "I  have  done  with  this  cave  for 
this  trip.  If  possible,  I  shall  think  of  it  no  more." 

195 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

When  he  was  getting  some  water  from  the  stream 
to  make  some  coffee  for  his  breakfast,  he  stopped  and 
clenched  his  fist.  "I  am  more  of  a  fool  than  I 
thought  I  was/'  he  said.  "This  solitary  business  is 
not  good  for  me.  If  I  had  thought  last  night  of  com 
ing  here  to  see  if  this  little  stream  were  still  running, 
and  kept  its  height,  I  need  not  have  troubled  myself 
about  the  lake  in  the  cave.  Of  course,  if  the  water 
were  running  into  the  caves,  it  would  not  be  running 
here  until  the  lake  had  filled.  And,  besides,  it  would 
take  days  for  that  great  lake  to  fill.  Well,  I  am  glad 
that  nobody  but  myself  knows  what  an  idiot  I  have 
been." 

When  he  had  finished  his  breakfast,  Captain  Horn 
went  to  work.  There  was  to  be  no  more  thinking,  no 
more  plans,  no  more  fanciful  anxieties,  no  more  hopes 
of  doing  something  better  than  he  had  done.  Work 
he  would,  and  when  one  thing  was  done,  he  would 
find  another.  The  first  thing  he  set  about  was  the 
improvement  of  the  pier  which  had  been  built  for 
the  landing  of  the  guano.  There  was  a  good  deal  of 
timber  left  unused,  and  he  drove  down  new  piles, 
nailed  on  new  planking,  and  extended  the  little  pier 
considerably  farther  into  the  waters  of  the  cove. 
When  this  was  done,  he  went  to  work  on  the  lighter, 
which  was  leaky,  and  bailed  it  out,  and  calked  the 
seams,  taking  plenty  of  time,  and  doing  his  work 
in  the  most  thorough  manner.  He  determined  that 
after  this  was  done,  and  he  could  find  nothing  better 
to  do,  he  would  split  up  the  little  vessel  which  the 
Kackbirds  had  left  rudderless,  mastless,  and  useless, 
and  make  kindling-wood  of  it. 

But  this  was  not  necessary.     He  had  barely  finished 

196 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

his  work  on  the  lighter,  when,  one  evening,  he  saw 
against  the  sun -lighted  sky  the  topmasts  of  a  vessel, 
and  the  next  morning  the  Finland  lay  anchored  off 
the  cove,  and  two  boats  came  ashore,  out  of  one  of 
which  Maka  was  the  first  to  jump. 

In  five  hours  the  guano  had  been  transferred  to  the 
ship,  and,  twenty  minutes  later,  the  Finland,  with 
Captain  Horn  on  board,  had  set  sail  for  Acapulco. 
The  captain  might  have  been  better  pleased  if  his 
destination  had  been  San  Francisco,  but,  after  all,  it 
is  doubtful  if  there  could  have  been  a  man  who  was 
better  pleased.  He  walked  the  deck  of  a  good  ship 
with  a  fellow-mariner  with  whom  he  could  talk  as 
much  as  he  pleased,  and  under  his  feet  were  the  bags 
containing  the  thousands  of  little  bars  for  which  he 
had  worked  so  hard. 


197 


CHAPTEE  XXV 

AT  THE  PALMETTO   HOTEL 

Fox  about  four  months  the  persons  who  made  up 
what  might  be  considered  as  Captain  Horn's  adopted 
family  had  resided  in  the  Palmetto  Hotel,  in  San 
Francisco.  At  the  time  we  look  upon  them,  however, 
Mrs.  Cliff  was  not  with  them,  having  left  San  Fran 
cisco  some  weeks  previously. 

Edna  was  now  a  very  different  being  from  the 
young  woman  she  had  been.  Her  face  was  smoother 
and  fuller,  and  her  eyes  seemed  to  have  gained  a 
richer  brown.  The  dark  masses  of  her  hair  appeared 
to  have  wonderfully  grown  and  thickened,  but  this 
was  due  to  the  loose  fashion  in  which  it  was  coiled 
upon  her  head,  and  it  would  have  been  impossible  for 
any  one  who  had  known  her  before  not  to  perceive 
that  she  was  greatly  changed.  The  lines  upon  her 
forehead,  which  had  come,  not  from  age,  but  from 
earnest  purpose  and  necessity  of  action,  together  with 
a  certain  intensity  of  expression  which  would  natu 
rally  come  to  a  young  woman  who  had  to  make  her 
way  in  the  world,  not  only  for  herself,  but  for  her 
young  brother,  and  a  seriousness  born  of  some  doubts, 
some  anxieties,  and  some  ambiguous  hopes,  had  all 

198 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

entirely  disappeared  as  if  they  had  been  morning 
mists  rolling  away  from  a  summer  landscape.  Under 
the  rays  of  a  sun  of  fortune,  shining,  indeed,  but 
mildly,  she  had  ripened  into  a  physical  beauty  which 
was  her  own  by  right  of  birth,  but  of  which  a  few 
more  years  of  struggling  responsibility  would  have 
forever  deprived  her. 

After  the  receipt  of  her  second  remittance,  Edna 
and  her  party  had  taken  the  best  apartments  in  the 
hotel.  The  captain  had  requested  this,  for  he  did  not 
know  how  long  they  might  remain  there,  and  he 
wanted  them  to  have  every  comfort.  He  had  sent 
them  as  much  money  as  he  could  spare  from  the  sale, 
in  Lima,  of  the  gold  he  had  carried  with  him  when 
he  first  left  the  caves,  but  his  expenses  in  hiring  ships 
and  buying  guano  were  heavy.  Edna,  however,  had 
received  frequent  remittances  while  the  captain  was 
at  the  Rackbirds'  cove,  through  an  agent  in  San 
Francisco.  These,  she  supposed,  came  from  further 
sales  of  gold,  but,  in  fact,  they  had  come  from  the  sale 
of  investments  which  the  captain  had  made  in  the 
course  of  his  fairly  successful  maritime  career.  In  his 
last  letter  from  Lima  he  had  urged  them  all  to  live 
well  on  what  he  sent  them,  considering  it  as  their 
share  of  the  first  division  of  the  treasure  in  the 
mound.  If  his  intended  projects  should  succeed,  the 
fortunes  of  all  of  them  would  be  reconstructed  upon  a 
new  basis  as  solid  and  as  grand  as  any  of  them  had 
ever  had  reason  to  hope  for.  But  if  he  should  fail, 
they,  the  party  in  San  Francisco,  would  be  as  well  off, 
or,  perhaps,  better  circumstanced  than  when  they  had 
started  for  Valparaiso.  He  did  not  mention  the  fact 
that  he  himself  would  be  poorer,  for  he  had  lost  the 

199 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Castor,  in  which  he  was  part-owner,  and  had  invested 
nearly  all  his  share  of  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  the 
gold  in  ship  hire,  guano  purchases,  and  other  neces 
sary  expenses. 

Edna  was  waiting  in  San  Francisco  to  know  what 
would  be  the  next  scene  in  the  new  drama  of  her  life. 
Captain  Horn  had  written  before  he  sailed  from  Lima 
in  the  Chilian  schooner  for  the  guano  islands  and  the 
Rackbirds'  cove,  and  he  had,  to  some  extent,  described 
his  plans  for  carrying  away  treasure  from  the  mound  ; 
but  since  that  she  had  not  heard  from  him  until  about 
ten  days  before,  when  he  wrote  from  Acapulco,  where 
he  had  arrived  in  safety  with  his  bags  of  guano  and 
their  auriferous  enrichments.  He  had  written  in 
high  spirits,  and  had  sent  her  a  draft  on  San  Francisco 
so  large  in  amount  that  it  had  fairly  startled  her,  for 
he  wrote  that  he  had  merely  disposed  of  some  of  the 
gold  he  had  brought  in  his  baggage,  and  had  not  yet 
done  anything  with  that  contained  in  the  guano-bags. 
He  had  hired  a  storehouse,  as  if  he  were  going  regu 
larly  into  business,  and  from  which  he  would  dispose 
of  his  stock  of  guano  after  he  had  restored  it  to  its 
original  condition.  To  do  all  this,  and  to  convert  the 
gold  into  negotiable  bank  deposits  or  money,  would 
require  time,  prudence,  and  even  diplomacy.  He  had 
already  sold  in  the  City  of  Mexico  as  much  of  the 
gold  from  his  trunk  as  he  could  offer  without  giving 
rise  to  too  many  questions,  and  if  he  had  not  been 
known  as  a  California  trader,  he  might  have  found 
some  difficulties  even  in  that  comparatively  small 
transaction. 

The  captain  had  written  that  to  do  all  he  had  to 
do  he  would  be  obliged  to  remain  in  Acapulco  or  the 

200 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

City  of  Mexico— how  long  he  could  not  tell,  for  much 
of  the  treasure  might  have  to  be  shipped  to  the 
United  States,  and  his  plans  for  all  this  business  were 
not  yet  arranged. 

Before  this  letter  had  been  received,  Mrs.  Cliff  had 
believed  it  to  be  undesirable  to  remain  longer  in  San 
Francisco,  and  had  gone  to  her  home  in  a  little  town 
in  Maine.  With  Edna  and  Kalph,  she  had  waited  and 
waited  and  waited,  but  at  last  had  decided  that  Cap 
tain  Horn  was  dead.  In  her  mind,  she  had  allowed 
him  all  the  time  that  she  thought  was  necessary  to  go 
to  the  caves,  get  gold,  and  come  to  San  Francisco, 
and  as  that  time  had  long  elapsed,  she  had  finally 
given  him  up  as  lost.  She  knew  the  captain  was  a 
brave  man  and  an  able  sailor,  but  the  adventure  he 
had  undertaken  was  strange  and  full  of  unknown 
perils,  and  if  it  should  so  happen  that  she  should  hear 
that  he  had  gone  to  the  bottom  in  a  small  boat  over 
loaded  with  gold,  she  would  not  have  been  at  all 
surprised. 

Of  course,  she  said  nothing  of  these  suspicions  to 
Edna  or  Ralph,  nor  did  she  intend  ever  to  mention 
them  to  any  one.  If  Edna,  who  in  so  strange  a  way 
had  been  made  a  wife,  should,  in  some  manner  per 
haps  equally  extraordinary,  be  made  a  widow,  she 
would  come  back  to  her,  she  would  do  everything 
she  could  to  comfort  her ;  but  now  she  did  not  seem 
to  be  needed  in  San  Francisco,  and  her  New  England 
home  called  to  her  through  the  many  voices  of  her 
friends.  As  to  the  business  which  had  taken  Mrs. 
Cliff  to  South  America,  that  must  now  be  postponed, 
but  it  could  not  but  be  a  satisfaction  to  her  that  she 
was  going  back  with  perhaps  as  much  money  as  she 

201 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

would  have  had  if  her  affairs  in  Valparaiso  had  been 
satisfactorily  settled. 

Edna  and  Ralph  had  come  to  be  looked  upon  at 
the  Palmetto  Hotel  as  persons  of  distinction.  They 
lived  quietly,  but  they  lived  well,  and  their  payments 
were  always  prompt.  They  were  the  wife  and 
brother-in-law  of  Captain  Philip  Horn,  who  was 
known  to  be  a  successful  man,  and  who  might  be  a 
rich  one.  But  what  seemed  more  than  anything  else 
to  distinguish  them  from  the  ordinary  hotel  guests 
was  the  fact  that  they  were  attended  by  two  personal 
servants,  who,  although,  of  course,  they  could  not  be 
slaves,  seemed  to  be  bound  to  them  as  if  they  had 
been  born  into  their  service. 

Cheditafa,  in  a  highly  respectable  suit  of  clothes 
which  might  have  been  a  cross  between  the  habili 
ments  of  a  Methodist  minister  and  those  of  a  butler, 
was  a  person  of  imposing  aspect.  Mrs.  Cliff  had  in 
sisted,  when  his  new  clothes  were  ordered,  that  there 
should  be  something  in  them  which  should  indicate 
the  clergyman,  for  the  time  might  come  when  it 
would  be  necessary  that  he  should  be  known  in  this 
character  ;  and  the  butler  element  was  added  because 
it  would  harmonize  in  a  degree  with  his  duties  as 
Edna's  private  attendant.  The  old  negro,  with  his 
sober  face,  and  woolly  hair  slightly  touched  with 
gray,  was  fully  aware  of  the  importance  of  his  posi 
tion  as  body-servant  to  Mrs.  Horn,  but  his  sense  of 
the  responsibility  of  that  position  far  exceeded  any 
other  sentiments  of  which  his  mind  was  capable. 
Perhaps  it  was  the  fact  that  he  had  made  Edna  Mrs. 
Horn  which  gave  him  the  feeling  that  he  must  never 
cease  to  watch  over  her  and  to  serve  her  in  every 

202 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

possible  way.  Had  the  hotel  taken  fire,  he  would 
have  rushed  through  the  flames  to  save  her.  Had  rob 
bers  attacked  her,  they  must  have  taken  his  life  be 
fore  they  took  her  purse.  "When  she  drove  out  in  the 
city  or  suburbs,  he  always  sat  by  the  side  of  the  driver, 
and  when  she  walked  in  the  streets,  he  followed  her 
at  a  respectful  distance. 

Proud  as  he  was  of  the  fact  that  he  had  been  the 
officiating  clergyman  at  the  wedding  of  Captain  Horn 
and  this  grand  lady,  he  had  never  mentioned  the 
matter  to  any  one,  for  many  times,  and  particularly 
just  before  she  left  San  Francisco,  Mrs.  Cliff  had  told 
him,  in  her  most  impressive  manner,  that  if  he  in 
formed  any  one  that  he  had  married  Captain  Horn 
and  Miss  Markham,  great  trouble  would  come  of  it. 
What  sort  of  trouble,  it  was  not  necessary  to  explain 
to  him,  but  she  was  very  earnest  in  assuring  him  that 
the  marriage  of  a  Christian  by  a  heathen  was  some 
thing  which  was  looked  upon  with  great  disfavor  in 
this  country,  and  unless  Cheditafa  could  prove  that 
he  had  a  perfect  right  to  perform  the  ceremony,  it 
might  be  bad  for  him.  "When  Captain  Horn  had  set 
tled  his  business  affairs  and  should  come  back,  every 
thing  would  be  made  all  right,  and  nobody  need  feel 
any  more  fear,  but  until  then  he  must  not  speak  of 
what  he  had  done. 

If  Captain  Horn  should  never  come  back,  Mrs.  Cliff 
thought  that  Edna  would  then  be  truly  his  widow,  and 
his  letters  would  prove  it,  but  that  she  was  really  his 
wife  until  the  two  had  marched  off  together  to  a  regu 
lar  clergyman,  the  good  lady  could  not  entirely  admit. 
Her  position  was  not  logical,  but  she  rested  herself 
firmly  upon  it. 

203 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

The  other  negro,  Mok,  could  speak  no  more  Eng 
lish  than  when  we  first  met  him,  but  he  could  under 
stand  some  things  which  were  said  to  him,  and  was 
very  quick,  indeed,  to  catch  the  meanings  of  signs, 
motions,  and  expressions  of  countenance.  At  first 
Edna  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  this  negro,  but 
Ealph  solved  the  question  by  taking  him  as  a  valet, 
and  day  by  day  he  became  more  useful  to  the  youth, 
who  often  declared  that  he  did  not  know  how  he  used 
to  get  along  without  a  valet.  Mok  was  very  fond  of 
fine  clothes,  and  Ealph  liked  to  see  him  smartly 
dressed,  and  he  frequently  appeared  of  more  impor 
tance  than  Cheditafa.  He  was  devoted  to  his  young 
master,  and  was  so  willing  to  serve  him  that  Ealph 
often  found  great  difficulty  in  finding  him  something 
to  do. 

Edna  and  Ealph  had  a  private  table,  at  which 
Cheditafa  and  Mok  assisted  in  waiting,  and  Mrs.  Cliff 
had  taught  both  of  them  how  to  dust  and  keep  rooms 
in  order.  Sometimes  Ealph  sent  Mok  to  a  circulating 
library.  Having  once  been  shown  the  place,  and 
made  to  understand  that  he  must  deliver  there  the 
piece  of  paper  and  the  books  to  be  returned,  he  at 
tended  to  the  business  as  intelligently  as  if  he  had 
been  a  trained  dog,  and  brought  back  the  new  books 
with  a  pride  as  great  as  if  he  had  selected  them.  The 
fact  that  Mok  was  an  absolute  foreigner,  having  no 
knowledge  whatever  of  English,  and  that  he  was 
possessed  of  an  extraordinary  activity,  which  enabled 
him,  if  the  gate  of  the  back  yard  of  the  hotel  hap 
pened  to  be  locked,  to  go  over  the  eight-foot  fence 
with  the  agility  of  a  monkey,  had  a  great  effect  in 
protecting  him  from  impositions  by  other  servants. 

204 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

When  a  black  negro  cannot  speak  English,  but  can 
bound  like  an  india-rubber  ball,  it  may  not  be  safe  to 
trifle  with  him.  As  for  trifling  with  Cheditafa,  no  one 
would  think  of  such  a  thing ;  his  grave  and  reverend 
aspect  was  his  most  effectual  protection. 

As  to  Ralph,  he  had  altered  in  appearance  almost 
as  much  as  his  sister.  His  apparel  no  longer  indicated 
the  boy,  and  as  he  was  tall  and  large  for  his  years, 
the  fashionable  suit  he  wore,  his  gay  scarf  with  its 
sparkling  pin,  and  his  brightly  polished  boots,  did  not 
appear  out  of  place  upon  him.  But  Edna  often  de 
clared  that  she  had  thought  him  a  great  deal  better- 
looking  in  the  scanty,  well-worn,  but  more  graceful 
garments  in  which  he  had  disported  himself  on  the 
sands  of  Peru. 


205 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  CAPTAIN'S  LETTER 

ON  a  sofa  in  her  well-furnished  parlor  reclined  Edna; 
and  on  a  table  near  by  lay  several  sheets  of  closely 
written  letter-paper.  She  had  been  reading,  and  now 
she  was  thinking— thinking  very  intently,  which  in 
these  days  was  an  unusual  occupation  with  her.  Dur 
ing  her  residence  in  San  Francisco  she  had  lived 
quietly  but  cheerfully.  She  had  supplied  herself 
abundantly  with  books,  she  had  visited  theatres  and 
concerts,  she  had  driven  around  the  city,  she  had 
taken  water  excursions,  she  had  visited  interesting 
places  in  the  neighborhood,  and  she  had  wandered 
among  the  shops,  purchasing,  in  moderation,  things 
that  pleased  her.  For  company  she  had  relied  chieliy 
on  her  own  little  party,  although  there  had  been  calls 
from  persons  who  knew  Captain  Horn.  Some  of  these 
people  were  interesting,  and  some  were  not,  but  they 
all  went  away  thinking  that  the  captain  was  a  won- 
derfully  fortunate  man. 

One  thing  which  used  to  be  a  pleasure  to  Edna  she 
refrained  from  altogether,  and  that  was  the  making 
of  plans.  She  had  put  her  past  life  entirely  behind 
her.  She  was  beginning  a  new  existence — what  sort  of 

206 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

an  existence  she  could  not  tell,  but  she  was  now  liv 
ing  with  the  determinate  purpose  of  getting  the 
greatest  good  out  of  her  life,  whatever  it  might  be. 

Already  she  had  had  much,  but  in  every  respect 
her  good  fortunes  were  but  preliminary  to  something 
else.  Her  marriage  was  but  the  raising  of  the  cur 
tain — the  play  had  not  yet  begun.  The  money  she 
was  spending  was  but  an  earnest  of  something  more 
expected.  Her  newly  developed  physical  beauty, 
which  she  could  not  fail  to  appreciate,  would  fade 
away  again,  did  it  not  continue  to  be  nourished  by 
that  which  gave  it  birth.  But  what  she  had,  she 
had,  and  that  she  would  enjoy.  When  Captain  Horn 
should  return,  she  would  know  what  would  happen 
next.  This  could  not  be  a  repetition  of  the  life  she 
was  leading  at  the  Palmetto  Hotel,  but  whatever  the 
new  life  might  be,  she  would  get  from  it  all  that  it 
might  contain  for  her.  She  did  not  in  the  least  doubt 
the  captain's  return,  for  she  believed  in  him  so  thor 
oughly  that  she  felt— she  knew— he  would  come  back 
and  tell  her  of  his  failure  or  his  success,  and  what  she 
was  to  do  next.  But  now  she  was  thinking.  She  could 
not  help  it,  for  her  tranquil  mind  had  been  ruffled. 

Her  cogitations  were  interrupted  by  the  entrance 
of  Ralph. 

"I  say,  Edna,"  said  he,  throwing  himself  into  an 
easy-chair,  and  placing  his  hat  upon  another  near  by, 
"was  that  a  returned  manuscript  that  Cheditafa 
brought  you  this  morning?  You  haven't  been  writ 
ing  for  the  magazines,  have  you  ? " 

"That  was  a  letter  from  Captain  Horn,"  she  said. 

"Whew  ! "  he  exclaimed.  "It  must  be  a  whopper  ! 
What  does  he  say  ?  When  is  he  coming  here  I  Give 

207 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

me  some  of  the  points  of  it.  But,  by  the  way,  Edna, 
before  you  begin,  I  will  say  that  I  think  it  is  about 
time  he  should  write.  Since  the  letter  in  which  he 
told  about  the  guano-bags  and  sent  you  that  lot  of 
money— let  me  see,  how  long  ago  was  that?" 

"It  was  ten  days  ago,"  said  his  sister. 

"Is  that  so?  I  thought  it  was  longer  than  that. 
But  no  matter.  Since  that  letter  came,  I  have  been 
completely  upset.  I  want  to  know  what  I  am  to  do, 
and,  whatever  I  am  to  do,  I  want  to  get  at  it.  From 
what  the  captain  wrote,  and  from  what  I  remember 
of  the  size  and  weight  of  those  gold  bars,  he  must  have 
got  away  with  more  than  a  million  dollars — perhaps  a 
million  and  a  half.  Now,  what  part  of  that  is  mine  ? 
What  am  I  to  do  with  it?  When  am  I  to  begin  to 
prepare  myself  for  the  life  I  am  to  lead  when  I  get  it? 
All  this  I  want  to  know,  and,  more  than  that,  I  want 
to  know  what  you  are  going  to  do.  Now,  if  I  had  got 
to  Acapulco,  or  any  other  civilized  spot,  with  a  mil 
lion  dollars  in  solid  gold,  it  would  not  have  been  ten 
days  before  I  should  have  written  to  my  family, — for 
I  suppose  that  is  what  we  are, — and  should  have  told 
them  what  I  was  going  to  do,  and  how  much  they 
might  count  on.  But  I  hope  now  that  letter  does 
tell?" 

"The  best  thing  to  do,"  said  Edna,  taking  up  the 
letter  from  the  table,  "is  to  read  it  to  you.  But  be 
fore  I  begin  I  want  to  say  something,  and  that  is  that 
it  is  very  wrong  of  you  to  get  into  these  habits  of  cal 
culating  about  what  may  come  to  you.  What  is  to 
come  will  come,  and  you  might  as  well  wait  for  it 
without  upsetting  your  mind  by  all  sorts  of  wild  an 
ticipations  ;  and,  besides  this,  you  must  remember 

208 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

that  you  are  not  of  age,  and  that  I  am  your  guardian, 
and  whatever  fortune  may  now  come  to  you  will  be 
under  my  charge  until  you  are  twenty-one." 

"Oh,  I  don't  care  about  that,"  said  Kalph.  "We 
will  have  no  trouble  about  agreeing  what  is  the  best 
thing  for  me  to  do.  But  now  go  ahead  with  the 
letter." 

"  •  I  am  going  to  tell  you '  "  (at  the  beginning  of  the 
second  paragraph)  "  '  of  a  very  strange  thing  which 
happened  to  me  since  I  last  wrote.  I  will  first  state 
that  after  my  guano-bags  had  all  been  safely  stored  in 
the  warerooms  I  have  hired,  I  had  a  heavy  piece  of 
work  getting  the  packages  of  gold  out  of  the  bags,  and 
in  packing  the  bars  in  small,  stout  boxes  I  found  in  the 
City  of  Mexico  and  had  sent  down  here.  In  looking 
around  for  boxes  which  would  suit  my  purpose,  I  dis 
covered  these,  which  had  been  used  for  stereotype 
plates.  They  were  stamped  on  the  outside,  and  just 
what  I  wanted,  being  about  as  heavy  after  I  packed 
them  with  gold  as  they  were  when  they  were  filled  with 
type-metal.  This  packing  I  had  to  do  principally  at 
night,  when  I  was  supposed  to  be  working  in  a  little 
office  attached  to  the  rooms.  As  soon  as  this  was  done, 
I  sent  all  the  boxes  to  a  safe-deposit  bank  in  Mexico, 
and  there  the  greater  part  of  them  are  yet.  Some  I 
have  shipped  to  the  mint  in  San  Francisco,  some  have 
gone  North,  and  I  am  getting  rid  of  the  rest  as  fast  as 
I  can. 

' '  '  The  gold  bars,  cast  in  a  form  novel  to  all  dealers, 
have  excited  a  good  deal  of  surprise  and  questioning, 
but  for  this  I  care  very  little.  My  main  object  is  to  get 
the  gold  separated  as  many  miles  as  possible  from  the 
guano,  for  if  the  two  should  be  connected  in  the  mind  of 
any  one  who  knew  where  the  guano  was  last  shipped 

209 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

from,  I  might  have  cause  for  anxiety.  But  as  the  bars 
bear  no  sort  of  mark  to  indicate  that  they  were  cast  by 
ancient  Peruvians,  and,  so  far  as  I  can  remember,— and 
I  have  visited  several  museums  in  South  America,— 
these  castings  are  not  like  any  others  that  have  come 
down  to  us  from  the  times  of  the  Incas,  the  gold  must 
have  been  cast  in  this  simple  form  merely  for  conve 
nience  in  transportation  and  packing.  Some  people  may 
think  it  is  California  gold,  some  may  think  it  comes 
from  South  America,  but,  whatever  they  think,  they 
know  it  is  pure  gold,  and  they  have  no  right  to  doubt 
that  it  belongs  to  me.  Of  course,  if  I  were  a  stranger  it 
might  be  different,  but  wherever  I  have  dealt  I  am 
known,  or  I  send  a  good  reference.  And  now  I  will 
come  to  the  point  of  this  letter. 

' ' '  Three  days  ago  I  was  in  my  office,  waiting  to  see  a 
man  to  whom  I  hoped  to  sell  my  stock  of  guano,  when  a 
man  came  in, —but  not  the  one  I  expected  to  see,— and 
if  a  ghost  had  appeared  before  me,  I  could  not  have  been 
more  surprised.  I  do  not  know  whether  or  not  you 
remember  the  two  American  sailors  who  were  the  first 
to  go  out  prospecting,  after  Mr.  Rynders  and  his  men 
left  us,  and  who  did  not  return.  This  man  was  one  of 
them— Edward  Shirley  by  name.'  ' 

"I  remember  him  perfectly  ! "  cried  Ralph.  "And 
the  other  fellow  was  George  Burke.  On  board  the 
Castor  I  used  to  talk  to  them  more  than  to  any  of  the 
other  sailors." 

' '  '  But  astonished  as  I  was, ' ' '  Edna  went  on  to  read, 
' ' '  Shirley  did  not  seem  at  all  surprised,  but  came  forward 
and  shook  hands  most  heartily.  He  said  he  had  read  in 
a  newspaper  that  I  had  been  rescued,  and  was  doing 
business  in  Acapulco,  and  he  had  come  down  on  purpose 
to  find  me.  I  told  him  how  we  had  given  up  him  and 

210 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

his  mate  for  lost,  and  then,  as  he  had  read  a  very  slim 
account  of  our  adventures,  I  told  him  the  whole  story, 
taking  great  care,  as  you  may  guess,  not  to  say  anything 
about  the  treasure  mound.  He  did  not  ask  any  questions 
as  to  why  I  did  not  come  back  with  the  rest  of  you,  but 
was  greatly  troubled  when  he  heard  of  the  murders  of 
every  man  of  our  crew  except  himself  and  Burke  and 
Maka. 

"  '  When  I  had  finished,  he  told  me  his  story,  which  I 
will  condense  as  much  as  possible.  When  he  and  Burke 
started  out,  they  first  began  to  make  their  way  along 
the  slope  of  the  rocky  ridge  which  ended  in  our  caves, 
but  they  found  this  very  hard  work,  so  they  soon  went 
down  to  the  sandy  country  to  the  north.  Here  they  shot 
some  little  beast  or  other,  and  while  they  were  hunting 
another  one,  up  hill  and  down  dale,  they  found  night 
was  coming  on,  and  they  were  afraid  to  retrace  their 
steps  for  fear  they  might  come  to  trouble  in  the  dark 
ness.  So  they  ate  what  they  had  with  them,  and 
camped,  and  the  next  morning  the  mountains  to  the  east 
seemed  to  be  so  near  them  that  they  thought  it  much 
easier  to  push  on  instead  of  coming  back  to  us.  They 
thought  that  when  they  got  to  the  fertile  country  they 
would  find  a  settlement,  and  then  they  might  be  able  to 
do  something  for  the  rest  of  the  party,  and  it  would  be 
much  wiser  to  go  ahead  than  to  turn  back.  But  they 
found  themselves  greatly  mistaken.  Mountains  in  the 
distance,  seen  over  a  plain,  appear  very  much  nearer 
than  they  are,  and  these  two  poor  fellows  walked  and 
walked,  until  they  were  pretty  nearly  dead.  The  story 
is  a  long  one  as  Shirley  told  it  to  me,  but  just  as  they 
were  about  giving  up  entirely,  they  were  found  by  a 
little  party  of  natives,  who  had  seen  them  from  a  long 
distance  and  had  come  to  them. 

"  '  After  a  great  deal  of  trouble,— I  believe  they  had 
to  carry  Burke  a  good  part  of  the  way,— the  natives  got 

211 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

them  to  their  huts  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  and  took 
care  of  them.  These  people  told  Shirley— he  knows  a 
little  Spanish— that  it  was  a  piece  of  rare  good  luck  that 
they  found  them,  for  it  was  very  seldom  they  went  so 
far  out  into  the  desert. 

"  '  In  a  day  or  two  the  two  men  went  on  to  a  little 
village  in  the  mountains,  and  there  they  tried  to  get  up 
an  expedition  to  come  to  our  assistance.  They  knew 
that  we  had  food  enough  to  last  for  a  week  or  two,  but 
after  that  we  must  be  starved  out.  But  nobody  would 
do  anything,  and  then  they  went  on  to  another  town  to 
see  what  they  could  do  there. '  ' 

"Good  fellows  ! "  exclaimed  Ralph. 
"Indeed,  they  were,"  said  Edna.     "But  wait  until 
you  hear  what  they  did  next. 

"  '  Nobody  in  this  small  town,'  "  she  read  on.  il  '  was 
willing  to  join  Burke  and  Shirley  in  their  proposed  ex 
pedition,  and  no  wonder;  for  crossing  those  deserts  is  a 
dangerous  thing,  and  most  people  said  it  would  be  use 
less  anyway,  as  it  would  be  easier  for  us  to  get  away  by 
sea  than  by  land.  At  this  time  Burke  was  taken  sick, 
and  for  a  week  or  two  Shirley  thought  he  was  going  to 
die.  Of  course,  they  had  to  stay  where  they  were,  and 
it  was  a  long  time  before  Burke  was  able  to  move  about. 
Then  they  might  have  gone  into  the  interior  until  they 
came  to  a  railroad,  and  so  have  got  away,  for  they  had 
money  with  them,  but  Shirley  told  me  they  could  not 
bear  to  do  that  without  knowing  what  had  become  of 
us.  They  did  not  believe  there  was  any  hope  for  us, 
unless  the  mate  had  come  back  with  assistance,  and 
they  had  not  much  faith  in  that,  for  if  a  storm  had 
come  up,  such  as  had  wrecked  the  Castor,  it  would  be 
all  over  with  Mr.  Rynders's  boat. 

"  '  But  even  if  we  had  perished  on  that  desolate  coast, 

212 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

they  wanted  to  know  it  and  carry  the  news  to  our  friends, 
and  so  they  both  determined,  if  the  thing  could  be  done, 
to  get  back  to  the  coast  and  find  out  what  had  become  of 
us.  They  went  again  to  the  little  village  where  they  had 
been  taken  by  the  natives  who  found  them,  and  there, 
by  promises  of  big  pay,— at  least,  large  for  those  poor 
Peruvians,  —they  induced  six  of  them  to  join  in  an  ex 
pedition  to  the  caves.  They  did  not  think  they  had  any 
reason  to  suppose  they  would  find  any  one  alive,  but 
still,  besides  the  provisions  necessary  for  the  party  there 
and  back,  they  carried  something  extra. 

"  '  Well,  they  journeyed  for  two  days,  and  then  there 
came  up  a  wind-storm,  hot  and  dry,  filling  the  air  with 
sand  and  dust,  so  that  they  could'  not  see  where  they 
were  going,  and  the  natives  said  they  ought  all  to  go 
ba,ck,  for  it  was  dangerous  to  try  to  keep  on  in  such  a 
storm.  But  our  two  men  would  not  give  up  so  soon, 
and  they  made  a  camp  in  a  sheltered  place,  and  deter 
mined  to  press  on  in  the  morning,  when  they  might 
expect  the  storm  to  be  over.  But  in  the  morning  they 
found  that  every  native  had  deserted  them.  The  wind 
had  gone  down,  and  the  fellows  must  have  started  back 
before  it  was  light.  Then  Shirley  and  Burke  did  not 
know  what  to  do.  They  believed  that  they  were  nearer 
the  coast  than  the  mountains,  and  as  they  had  plenty  of 
provisions,— for  the  natives  had  left  them  nearly  every 
thing, —they  thought  they  would  try  to  push  on,  for  a 
while  at  least. 

' ' '  There  was  a  bit  of  rising  ground  to  the  east,  and 
they  thought  if  they  could  get  on  the  top  of  that  they 
might  get  a  sight  of  the  ocean,  and  then  discover  how 
far  away  it  was.  They  reached  the  top  of  the  rising 
ground,  and  they  did  not  see  the  ocean,  but  a  little  ahead 
of  them,  in  a  smooth  stretch  of  sand,  was  something 
which  amazed  them  a  good  deal  more  than  if  it  had  been 
the  sea.  It  was  a  pair  of  shoes  sticking  up  out  of  the 

213 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

sand.  They  were  an  old  pair,  and  appeared  to  have  legs 
to  them.  They  Avent  to  the  spot,  and  found  that  these 
shoes  belonged  to  a  man  who  was  entirely  covered  by 
sand,  with  the  exception  of  his  feet,  and  dead,  of  course. 
They  got  the  sand  off  of  him,  and  found  he  was  a  white 
man,  in  sailor's  clothes.  First  they  had  thought  he 
might  be  one  of  our  party,  but  they  soon  perceived  that 
this  was  a  mistake,  for  they  had  never  seen  the  man 
before.  He  was  dried  up  until  he  was  nothing  but  a 
skeleton  with  skin  over  it,  but  they  could  have  recog 
nized  him  if  they  had  known  him  before.  From  what 
they  had  heard  of  the  rainless  climate  of  the  Peruvian 
coast,  and  the  way  it  had  of  drying  up  dead  animals  of 
all  sorts,  they  imagined  that  this  man  might  have  been 
there  for  years.  He  was  lying  on  his  back,  with  his 
arms  folded  around  a  bundle,  and  when  they  tried  to 
move  this  bundle,  they  found  it  was  very  heavy.  It  was 
something  wrapped  up  in  a  blanket  and  tied  with  a  cord, 
and  when  they  opened  the  bundle,  they  were  pretty 
nearly  struck  dumb;  for  they  saw  it  held,  as  Shirley 
expressed  it,  about  a  peck  of  little  hunks  of  gold. 

4  k '  They  were  utterly  astounded  by  this  discovery,  and 
utterly  unable  to  make  head  or  tail  of  it.  What  that 
man,  apparently  an  English  sailor,  had  been  doing  out 
in  the  middle  of  this  desert  with  a  bundle  of  gold,  and 
where  he  got  it,  and  who  he  was,  and  where  he  was 
going  to,  and  how  long  he  had  been  dead,  were  things 
beyond  their  guessing.  They  dragged  the  body  out  of 
its  burrow  in  the  sand,  and  examined  the  pockets,  but 
there  was  nothing  in  the  trousers  but  an  old  knife.  In 
the  pocket  of  the  shirt,  however,  were  about  a  dozen 
matches,  wrapped  up  in  an  old  envelope.  This  was  ad 
dressed,  in  a  very  bad  hand,  to  A.  McLeish,  Callao, 
Peru,  but  they  could  not  make  out  the  date  of  the  post 
mark.  These  things  were  all  there  was  about  the  man 
that  could  possibly  identify  him,  for  his  few  clothes  were 

214 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

such  as  any  sailor  would  wear,  and  were  very  old  and 
dirty. 

"'But  the  gold  was  there.  They  examined  it  and 
scraped  it,  and  they  were  sure  it  was  pure  gold.  There 
was  no  doubt  in  their  minds  as  to  what  they  would  do 
about  this.  They  would  certainly  carry  it  away  with 
them.  But  before  they  did  so,  Burke  wanted  to  hunt 
around  and  see  if  they  could  not  find  more  of  it,  for  the 
mass  of  metal  was  so  heavy  he  did  not  believe  the  sailor 
could  have  carried  it  very  far.  But  after  examining  the 
country  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  Shirley  would  not 
agree  to  this.  They  could  see  nothing  but  wide-stretching 
sands,  and  no  place  where  it  seemed  worth  while  to  risk 
their  lives  hunting  for  treasure.  Their  best  plan  was  to 
get  away  with  what  they  had  found,  and  now  the  point 
was  whether  or  not  they  should  press  on  to  the  coast  or 
go  back ;  but  as  they  could  see  no  signs  of  the  sea,  they 
soon  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  best  thing  to  do  if 
they  wanted  to  save  their  lives  and  their  treasure  was  to 
get  back  to  the  mountains. 

"  '  I  forgot  to  say  that  as  soon  as  Shirley  began  to  talk 
about  the  dead  man  and  his  gold,  I  left  the  warehouse  in 
charge  of  Maka,  and  took  him  to  my  hotel,  where  he  told 
me  the  rest  of  his  story  in  a  room  with  the  door  locked. 
I  must  try  to  take  as  many  reefs  in  what  followed  as  I 
can.  I  don't  believe  that  the  finding  of  the  gold  made 
any  difference  in  their  plans,  for,  of  course,  it  would  have 
been  foolish  for  them  to  try  to  get  to  us  by  themselves. 
They  cut  the  blanket  in  half  and  made  up  the  gold  into 
two  packages,  and  then  they  started  back  for  the  moun 
tains,  taking  with  them  all  the  provisions  they  could 
carry  in  addition  to  the  gold,  and  leaving  their  guns 
behind  them.  Shirley  said  their  loads  got  heavier  and 
heavier  as  they  ploughed  through  the  sand,  and  it  took 
them  three  days  to  cover  the  ground  they  had  gone  over 
before  in  two.  When  they  got  to  the  village,  they  found 

215 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

scarcely  a  man  in  the  place,  for  the  fellows  who  had 
deserted  them  were  frightened,  and  kept  out  of  sight. 
They  stayed  there  all  night,  and  then  they  went  on  with 
their  bundles  to  the  next  village,  where  they  succeeded 
in  getting  a  couple  of  travelling-bags,  into  which  they 
put  their  gold,  so  that  they  might  appear  to  be  carrying 
their  clothes. 

' ' '  After  a  good  deal  of  travel  they  reached  Callao,  and 
there  they  made  inquiries  for  A.  McLeish,  but  nobody 
knew  of  him.  Of  course,  he  was  a  sailor  who  had  had  a 
letter  sent  there.  They  went  up  to  Lima  and  sold  a  few 
pieces  of  the  gold,  but,  before  they  did  it,  they  got  a 
heavy  hammer  and  pounded  them  up,  so  that  no  one 
would  know  what  their  original  shape  was.  Shirley 
said  he  could  not  say  exactly  why  they  did  this,  but  that 
they  thought,  on  the  whole,  it  would  be  safer.  Then  they 
went  to  San  Francisco  on  the  first  vessel  that  sailed. 
They  must  have  had  a  good  deal  of  talk  on  the  voyage 
in  regard  to  the  gold,  and  it  was  in  consequence  of  their 
discussions  that  Shirley  wanted  so  much  to  find  me. 
They  had  calculated,  judging  by  the  pieces  they  had  sold, 
that  the  gold  they  had  with  them  was  worth  about  twelve 
thousand  dollars,  and  they  both  thought  they  ought  to 
do  the  right  thing  about  it.  In  the  first  place,  they  tried 
in  San  Francisco  to  find  out  something  about  McLeish, 
but  no  one  knew  of  such  a  man.  They  then  began  to 
consider  some  persons  they  did  know  about.  They  had 
heard  in  Lima  that  some  of  the  people  of  the  Castor 
had  been  rescued,  and  if  any  of  them  were  hard  up,  as 
most  likely  they  were,  Shirley  and  Burke  thought  that 
by  rights  they  ought  to  have  some  of  the  treasure  that 
they  had  found.  Shirley  said  at  first  they  had  gone  on 
the  idea  that  each  of  them  would  have  six  thousand 
dollars  and  could  go  into  business  for  himself,  but  after 
a  while  they  thought  this  would  be  a  mean  thing  to  do. 
They  had  all  been  shipwrecked  together,  and  two  of 

216 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

them  had  had  a  rare  piece  of  good  luck,  and  they  thought 
it  no  more  than  honorable  to  share  this  good  luck  with 
the  others,  so  they  concluded  the  best  thing  to  do  was 
to  see  me  about  it.  Burke  left  this  business  to  Shirley, 
because  he  wanted  to  go  to  see  his  sister  who  lives  in  St. 
Louis. 

' ' '  They  had  not  formed  any  fixed  plan  of  division,  but 
they  believed  that,  as  they  had  had  the  trouble,  and, 
in  fact,  the  danger,  of  getting  the  gold,  they  should 
have  the  main  share,  but  they  considered  that  they  had 
enough  to  help  out  any  of  the  original  party  who  might 
be  hard  up  for  money.  "  Of  course,  we  must  always  re 
member,"  said  Shirley,  in  finishing  up  his  story,  "  that 
if  we  can  find  the  heirs  of  McLeish,  the  money  belongs 
to  them.  But,  even  in  that  case,  Burke  and  I  think  we 
ought  to  keep  a  good  share  of  it  to  pay  us  for  getting  it  , 
away  from  that  beastly  desert."  Here  I  interrupted 
him.  "  Don't  you  trouble  yourself  any  more  about 
McLeish,"  I  said.  "  That  money  did  not  belong  to  him. 
He  stole  it."  "  How  do  you  know  that,  and  who  did  he 
steal  it  from  ? ' '  cried  Shirley.  ' '  He  stole  it  from  me, ' ' 
said  I. 

"  '  At  this  point  Shirley  gave  such  a  big  jump  backward 
that  his  chair  broke  beneath  him,  and  he  went  crashing 
to  the  floor.  He  had  made  a  start  a  good  deal  like  that 
when  I  told  him  how  the  Rackbirds  had  been  swept  out 
of  existence  when  I  had  opened  the  flood-gate  that  let 
out  the  waters  of  the  lake,  and  I  had  heard  the  chair 
crack  then.  Now,  while  he  had  been  telling  me  about 
his  finding  that  man  in  the  sand,  with  his  load  of  gold, 
I  had  been  listening,  but  I  had  also  been  thinking,  and 
almost  any  man  can  think  faster  than  another  one  can 
talk,  and  so  by  this  time  I  had  made  up  my  mind  what 
I  was  going  to  say  to  Shirley.  I  would  tell  him  all 
about  my  finding  the  gold  in  the  mound.  It  touched  me 
to  think  that  these  poor  fellows,  who  did  all  that  they 

217 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

could  to  help  us  escape,  and  then,  when  they  got  safely 
home,  started  immediately  to  find  us  in  order  that  they 
might  give  us  some  of  that  paltry  twelve  thousand  dol 
lars  —give  to  us,  who  are  actually  millionaires,  and  who 
may  be  richer  yet!  It  would  not  do  to  let  any  of  the 
crew  get  ahead  of  their  captain  in  fair  dealing,  and  that 
was  one  reason  why  I  determined  to  tell  him.  Then, 
there  was  another  point.  Ever  since  I  have  been  here, 
selling  and  storing  the  gold  I  brought  away,  I  have  had 
a  heavy  load  on  my  mind,  and  that  was  the  thought  of 
leaving  all  the  rest  of  the  gold  in  that  mound  for  the 
next  person  who  might  come  along  and  find  it. 

"  '  I  devised  plan  after  plan  of  getting  more  of  it,  but 
none  of  them  would  work.  Two  things  were  certain: 
One  was  that  I  could  not  get  any  more  away  by  myself. 
I  had  already  done  the  best  I  could  and  all  I  could  in 
that  line.  And  the  second  thing  was  that  if  I  should 
try  for  any  more  of  the  treasure,  I  must  have  people  to 
help  me.  The  plan  that  suited  me  best  was  to  buy  a 
small  vessel,  man  it,  go  down  there,  load  up  with  the 
gold,  and  sail  away.  There  would  be  no  reasonable 
chance  that  any  one  would  be  there  to  hinder  me,  and  I 
would  take  in  the  cargo  just  as  if  it  were  guano,  or  any 
thing  else.  Then  I  would  go  boldly  to  Europe.  I  have 
looked  into  the  matter,  and  I  have  found  that  the  best 
thing  I  can  do,  if  I  should  get  that  gold,  would  be  to 
transport  it  to  Paris,  where  I  could  distribute  it  better 
than  I  could  from  any  other  point.  But  the  trouble 
was,  where  could  I  get  the  crew  to  help  me?  I  have 
four  black  men,  and  I  think  I  could  trust  them,  as  far 
as  honesty  goes,  but  they  would  not  be  enough  to  work 
the  ship,  and  I  could  not  think  of  any  white  men  with 
whom  I  would  trust  my  life  and  that  gold  in  the  same 
vessel.  But  now  they  seemed  to  pop  up  right  in  front 
of  me. 

"  'I  knew  Shirley  and  Burke  pretty  well  when  they 

218 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

were  on  the  Castor,  and  after  what  Shirley  told  me  I 
knew  them  better,  and  I  believed  they  were  my  men. 
To  be  sure,  they  might  fail  me,  for  they  are  only  human, 
but  I  had  to  have  somebody  to  help  me,  and  I  did  not 
believe  there  were  any  other  two  men  who  would  be  less 
likely  to  fail  me.  So  by  the  time  Shirley  had  finished 
his  yarn  I  was  ready  to  tell  him  the  whole  thing,  and 
propose  to  him  and  Burke  to  join  me  in  going  down  after 
the  rest  of  the  treasure  and  taking  it  to  France.' ' 

At  this  point  Ealph  sprang  to  his  feet,  his  eyes 
flashing.  "Edna!"  he  cried,  "I  say  that  your  Cap 
tain  Horn  is  treating  me  shamefully.  In  the  first 
place,  lie  let  me  come  up  here  to  dawdle  about,  doing 
nothing,  when  I  ought  to  have  been  down  there  help 
ing  him  get  more  of  that  treasure.  I  fancy  he  might 
have  trusted  me,  and  if  I  had  been  with  him,  we 
should  have  brought  away  nearly  twice  as  much  gold, 
and  at  this  minute  we  should  be  twice  as  well  off 
as  we  are.  But  this  last  is  a  thousand  times  worse. 
Here  he  is,  going  off  on  one  of  the  most  glorious  ad 
ventures  of  this  century,  and  he  leaves  me  out.  What 
does  he  take  me  for?  Does  he  think  I  am  a  girl? 
When  he  was  thinking  of  somebody  to  go  with  him, 
why  didn't  he  think  of  me,  and  why  doesn't  he  think 
of  me  now  ?  He  has  no  right  to  leave  me  out !  " 

"I  look  at  the  matter  in  a  different  light,"  said  his 
sister.  "Captain  Horn  has  no  right  to  take  you  off 
on  such  a  dangerous  adventure,  and,  more  than  that, 
he  has  no  right  to  take  you  from  me,  and  leave  me 
alone  in  the  world.  He  once  made  you  the  guardian 
of  all  that  treasure,  and  now  he  considers  you  as  my 
guardian.  You  did  not  desert  the  first  trust,  and  I 
am  sorry  to  think  you  want  to  desert  the  other." 

219 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

"That's  all  very  fine,"  said  Ralph.  "You  blow  hot 
and  you  blow  cold  at  the  same  time.  When  you  want 
me  to  keep  quiet  and  do  what  I  am  told,  you  tell  me 
I  am  not  of  age,  and  that  you  are  my  guardian  ;  and 
when  you  want  me  to  stay  here  and  make  myself  use 
ful,  you  tell  me  I  am  wonderfully  trusty,  and  that  I 
must  be  your  guardian." 

Edna  smiled.  "That  is  pretty  good  reasoning,"  she 
said,  "but  there  isn't  any  reasoning  needed  in  this 
case.  Is"o  matter  what  Captain  Horn  may  say  or  do, 
I  would  not  let  you  go  away  from  me." 

Ralph  sat  down  again.  "There  is  some  sense  in 
what  you  say,"  he  said.  "If  the  captain  should  come 
to  grief,  and  I  were  with  him,  we  would  both  be  gone. 
Then  you  would  have  nobody  left  to  you.  But  that 
does  not  entirely  clear  him.  Even  if  he  thought  I 
ought  not  to  go  with  him,  he  ought  to  have  said  some 
thing  about  it,  and  put  in  a  word  or  so  about  his  be 
ing  sorry.  Is  there  any  more  of  the  letter?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Edna,  "there  is  more  of  it,"  and  she 
began  to  read  again  : 

"  '  I  intended  to  stop  here  and  give  you  the  rest  of 
the  matter  in  another  letter,  but  now,  as  I  have  a  good 
chance  to  write,  I  think  it  is  better  to  keep  on,  although 
this  letter  is  already  as  long  as  the  pay-roll  of  the  navy. 
When  I  told  Shirley  about  the  gold,  he  made  a  bounce 
pretty  nearly  as  big  as  the  others,  but  this  time  I  had 
him  in  a  stout  arm-chair,  and  he  did  no  damage.  He 
had  in  his  pocket  one  of  the  gold  bars  he  spoke  of,  and 
I  had  one  of  mine  in  my  trunk,  and  when  we  put  them 
together  they  were  as  like  as  two  peas.  What  I  told 
him  dazed  him  at  first,  and  he  did  not  seem  properly  to 
understand  what  it  all  meant,  but,  after  a  little,  a  fair 

220 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

view  of  it  came  to  him,  and  for  hours  we  talked  over  the 
matter.  Who  the  man  was  who  had  gone  there  after  we 
left  did  not  matter,  for  he  could  never  come  back  again. 

"  'We  decided  that  what  we  should  do  was  to  go  and 
get  that  gold  as  soon  as  possible,  and  Shirley  agreed  to 
go  with  me.  He  believed  we  could  trust  Burke  to  join 
us,  and,  with  my  four  black  men,— who  have  really  be 
come  good  sailors,  — we  would  have  a  crew  of  seven  men 
altogether,  with  which  we  could  work  a  fair-sized  brig 
to  Havre  or  some  other  French  port.  Before  he  went 
away  our  business  was  settled.  He  agreed  to  go  with 
me  as  first  mate,  to  do  his  best  to  help  me  get  that  gold 
to  France,  to  consider  the  whole  treasure  as  mine,  be 
cause  I  had  discovered  it, — I  explained  the  reason  to 
him,  as  I  did  to  you,— and  to  accept  as  regular  pay  one 
hundred  dollars  a  day,  from  then  until  we  should  land 
the  cargo  in  a  European  port,  and  then  to  leave  it  to 
me  how  much  more  I  would  give  him.  I  told  him  there 
were  a  lot  of  people  to  be  considered,  and  I  was  going  to 
try  to  make  the  division  as  fair  as  possible,  and  he  said 
he  was  willing  to  trust  it  to  me. 

u  '  If  we  did  not  get  the  gold,  he  was  to  have  eighteen 
dollars  a  month  for  the  time  he  sailed  with  me,  and  if 
we  got  safely  back,  I  would  give  him  his  share  of  what 
I  had  already  secured.  He  was  quite  sure  that  Burke 
would  make  the  same  agreement,  and  we  telegraphed 
him  to  come  immediately.  I  am  going  to  be  very  care 
ful  about  Burke,  however,  and  sound  him  well  before  I 
tell  him  anything. 

"  '  Yesterday  we  found  our  vessel.  She  arrived  in  port 
a  few  days  ago,  and  is  now  unloading.  She  is  a  small 
brig,  and  I  think  she  will  do;  in  fact,  she  has  got  to  do. 
By  the  time  Burke  gets  here  I  think  we  shall  be  ready 
to  sail.  Up  to  that  time  we  shall  be  as  busy  as  men 
can  be,  and  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  go  to  San 
Francisco.  I  must  attend  to  the  shipping  of  the  treas- 

221 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

ure  I  have  stored  in  the  City  of  Mexico.  I  shall  send 
some  to  one  place  and  some  to  another,  but  want  it  all 
turned  into  coin  or  bonds  before  I  start.  Besides,  I 
must  be  on  hand  to  see  Burke  the  moment  he  arrives. 
I  am  not  yet  quite  sure  about  him,  and  if  Shirley  should 
let  anything  slip  while  I  was  away  our  looked-for  for 
tune  might  be  lost  to  us. ' 

"And  that,"  said  Edna,  "is  all  of  the  letter  that  I 
need  read,  except  that  he  tells  me  he  expects  to  write 
again  before  he  starts,  and  that  his  address  after  he 
sails  will  be  "Wraxton,  Fuguet  &  Co.,  American 
bankers  in  Paris." 


222 


CHAPTER  XXVH 

EDNA  MAKES  HER  PLANS 

WHEN  she  had  finished  reading  the  many  pages  of 
the  letter,  Edna  leaned  back  on  the  sofa  and  closed 
her  eyes.  Kalph  sat  upright  in  his  chair  and  gazed 
intently  before  him. 

"So  we  are  not  to  see  the  captain  again,"  he  said 
presently.  "But  I  suppose  that  when  a  man  has  a 
thing  to  do,  the  best  thing  is  to  go  and  do  it." 

"Yes,"  said  his  sister,  "that  is  the  best  thing." 

"And  what  are  we  to  do? " 

"I  am  now  trying  to  decide,"  she  answered. 

"Doesn't  he  say  anything  about  it?" 

"Not  a  word,"  replied  Edna.  "I  suppose  he  con 
sidered  he  had  made  his  letter  long  enough." 

About  an  hour  after  this,  when  the  two  met  again, 
Edna  said:  "I  have  been  writing  to  Captain  Horn, 
and  am  going  to  write  to  Mrs.  Cliff.  I  have  decided 
what  we  shall  do.  I  am  going  to  France." 

"To  France  !  "  cried  Kalph.     "Both  of  us  ?  " 

"Yes,  both  of  us.  I  made  up  my  mind  about  this 
since  I  saw  you." 

"What  are  you  going  to  France  for?  "  he  exclaimed. 
"Come,  let  us  have  it  all— quick." 

"I  am  going  to  France,"  said  his  sister,  "because 
223 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Captain  Horn  is  going  there,  and  when  he  arrives,  I 
wish  to  be  there  to  meet  him.  There  is  no  reason  for 
our  staying  here— 

"Indeed,  there  is  not,"  interpolated  Ralph,  ear 
nestly. 

"If  we  must  go  anywhere  to  wait,"  continued  his 
sister,  "I  should  prefer  Paris." 

"Edna,"  cried  Ralph,  "you  are  a  woman  of  solid 
sense,  and  if  the  captain  wants  his  gold  divided  up, 
he  should  get  you  to  do  it.  And  now,  when  are  we 
going,  and  is  Mrs.  Cliff  to  go?  What  are  you  going 
to  do  with  the  two  darkies  ?  " 

"We  shall  start  East  as  soon  as  the  captain  sails," 
replied  his  sister,  "and  I  do  not  know  what  Mrs.  Cliff 
will  do  until  I  hear  from  her,  and  as  for  Cheditafa 
and  Mok,  we  shall  take  them  with  us." 

"Hurrah!"  cried  Ralph.  "Mok  for  my  valet  in 
Paris.  That's  the  best  thing  I  have  got  out  of  the 
caves  yet." 

Captain  Horn  was  a  strong  man,  prompt  in  action, 
and  no  one  could  know  him  long  without  being  as 
sured  of  these  facts.  But  although  Edna's  outward  per 
sonality  was  not  apt  to  indicate  quickness  of  decision 
and  vigor  of  purpose,  that  quickness  and  vigor  were 
hers  quite  as  much  as  the  captain's  when  occasion  de 
manded,  and  occasion  demanded  them  now.  The 
captain  had  given  no  indication  of  what  he  would 
wish  her  to  do  during  the  time  which  would  be  occu 
pied  by  his  voyage  to  Peru,  his  work  there,  and  his 
subsequent  long  cruise  around  South  America  to 
Europe.  She  expected  that  in  his  next  letter  he 
would  say  something  about  this,  but  she  wished  first 
to  say  something  herself. 

224 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

She  did  not  know  this  bold  sailor  as  well  as  she 
loved  him,  and  she  was  not  at  all  sure  that  the  plans 
he  might  make  for  her  during  his  absence  would  suit 
her  disposition  or  her  purposes.  Consequently,  she 
resolved  to  submit  her  plans  to  him  before  he  should 
write  again.  Above  everything  else,  she  wished  to 
be  in  that  part  of  the  world  at  which  Captain  Horn 
might  be  expected  to  arrive  when  his  present  adven 
ture  should  be  accomplished.  She  did  not  wish  to  be 
sent  for  to  go  to  France.  She  did  not  wish  to  be  told 
that  he  was  coming  to  America.  Wherever  he  might 
land,  there  she  would  be. 

The  point  that  he  might  be  unsuccessful,  and  might 
never  leave  South  America,  did  not  enter  into  her 
consideration.  She  was  acting  on  the  basis  that  he 
was  a  man  who  was  likely  to  succeed  in  his  endeavors. 
If  she  should  come  to  know  that  he  had  not  succeeded, 
then  her  actions  would  be  based  upon  the  new  cir 
cumstances. 

Furthermore,  she  had  now  begun  to  make  plans  for 
her  future  life.  She  had  been  waiting  for  Captain 
Horn  to  come  to  her,  and  to  find  out  what  he  intended 
to  do.  ISTow  she  knew  he  was  not  coming  to  her  for  a 
long  time,  and  was  aware  of  what  he  intended  to  do,  and 
she  made  her  own  plans.  Of  course,  she  dealt  only  with 
the  near  future.  All  beyond  that  was  vague,  and  she 
could  not  touch  it,  even  with  her  thoughts.  When 
sending  his  remittances,  the  captain  had  written  that 
she  and  Mrs.  Cliff  must  consider  the  money  he  sent 
her  as  income  to  be  expended,  not  as  principal  to  be 
put  away  or  invested.  He  had  made  provisions  for 
the  future  of  all  of  them,  in  case  he  should  not  succeed 
in  his  present  project,  and  what  he  had  not  set  aside 

225 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

with  that  view  he  had  devoted  to  his  own  operations, 
and  to  the  maintenance,  for  a  year,  of  Edna,  Kalph, 
and  Mrs.  Cliff,  in  such  liberal  and  generous  fashion  as 
might  please  them,  and  he  had  apportioned  the  re 
mittances  in  a  way  which  he  deemed  suitable.  As 
Edna  disbursed  the  funds,  she  knew  that  this  propor 
tion  was  three  quarters  for  herself  and  Kalph,  and 
one  quarter  for  Mrs.  Cliff. 

"He  divides  everything  into  four  parts,"  she 
thought,  "and  gives  me  his  share." 

Acting  on  her  principle  of  getting  every  good  thing 
out  of  life  that  life  could  give  her,  and  getting  it 
while  life  was  able  to  give  it  to  her,  there  was  no 
doubt  in  regard  to  her  desires.  Apart  from  her  wish 
to  go  where  the  captain  expected  to  go,  she  consid 
ered  that  every  day  now  spent  in  America  was  a  day 
lost.  If  her  further  good  fortune  should  never  arrive, 
and  the  money  in  hand  should  be  gone,  she  wished, 
before  that  time  came,  to  engraft  upon  her  existence 
a  period  of  life  in  Europe — life  of  such  freedom  and 
opportunity  as  never  before  she  had  had  a  right  to 
dream  of. 

Across  this  golden  outlook  there  came  a  shadow. 
If  he  had  wished  to  come  to  her,  she  would  have 
waited  for  him  anywhere,  or  if  he  had  wished  her  to 
go  to  him,  she  would  have  gone  anywhere.  But  it 
seemed  as  if  that  mass  of  gold,  which  brought  them 
together,  must  keep  them  apart,  a  long  time  cer 
tainly,  perhaps  always.  Nothing  that  had  happened 
had  had  any  element  of  certainty  about  it,  and  the 
future  was  still  less  certain.  If  he  had  come  to  her 
before  undertaking  the  perilous  voyage  now  before 
him,  there  would  have  been  a  certainty  in  her  life 

226 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

which  would  have  satisfied  her  forever.  But  he  did 
not  come.  It  was  plainly  his  intention  to  have  noth 
ing  to  do  with  the  present  until  the  future  should  be 
settled,  so  far  as  he  could  settle  it. 

In  a  few  days  after  she  had  written  to  Captain 
Horn,  informing  him  of  the  plans  she  had  made  to  go 
to  France,  Edna  received  an  answer  which  somewhat 
disappointed  her.  If  the  captain's  concurrence  in  her 
proposed  foreign  sojourn  had  not  been  so  unqualified 
and  complete,  if  he  had  proposed  even  some  slight 
modification,  if  he  had  said  anything  which  would 
indicate  that  he  felt  he  had  authority  to  oppose  her 
movements  if  he  did  not  approve  of  them,— in  fact, 
even  if  he  had  opposed  her  plan, — she  would  have  been 
better  pleased.  But  he  wrote  as  if  he  were  her  finan 
cial  agent,  and  nothing  more.  The  tone  of  his  letter 
was  kind,  the  arrangements  he  said  he  had  made  in 
regard  to  the  money  deposited  in  San  Francisco 
showed  a  careful  concern  for  her  pleasure  and  conve 
nience,  but  nothing  in  his  letter  indicated  that  he  be 
lieved  himself  possessed  in  any  way  of  the  slightest 
control  over  her  actions.  There  was  nothing  like  a 
sting  in  that  kind  and  generous  letter,  but  when  she 
had  read  it,  the  great  longing  of  Edna's  heart  turned 
and  stung  her.  But  she  would  give  no  sign  of  this 
wound.  She  was  a  brave  woman,  and  could  wait  still 
longer. 

The  captain  informed  her  that  everything  was 
going  well  with  his  enterprise — that  Burke  had  ar 
rived,  and  had  agreed  to  take  part  in  the  expedition, 
and  that  he  expected  that  his  brig,  the  Miranda, 
would  be  ready  in  less  than  a  week.  He  mentioned 
again  that  he  was  extremely  busy  with  his  operations, 

227 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

but  lie  did  not  say  that  he  was  sorry  lie  was  unable  to 
come  to  take  leave  of  her.  He  detailed  in  full  the 
arrangements  he  had  made,  and  then  placed  in  her 
hands  the  entire  conduct  of  the  financial  affairs  of  the 
party  until  she  should  hear  from  him  again.  When 
he  arrived  in  France,  he  would  address  her  in  care 
of  his  bankers,  but  in  regard  to  two  points  only  did  he 
now  say  anything  which  seemed  like  a  definite  injunc 
tion  or  even  request.  He  asked  Edna  to  urge  upon 
Mrs.  Cliff  the  necessity  of  saying  nothing  about  the 
discovery  of  the  gold,  for  if  it  should  become  known 
anywhere  from  Greenland  to  Patagonia,  he  might 
find  a  steamer  lying  off  the  Rackbirds'  cove  when  his 
slow  sailing-vessel  should  arrive  there.  The  other 
request  was  that  Edna  keep  the  two  negroes  with  her 
if  this  would  not  prove  inconvenient.  But  if  this 
plan  would  at  all  trouble  her,  he  asked  that  they  be 
sent  to  him  immediately. 

In  answer  to  this  letter,  Edna  merely  telegraphed 
the  captain,  informing  him  that  she  would  remain  in 
San  Francisco  until  she  had  heard  that  he  had  sailed 
when  she  would  immediately  start  for  the  East,  and 
for  France,  with  Ralph  and  the  two  negroes. 

Three  days  after  this  she  received  a  telegram  from 
Captain  Horn,  stating  that  he  would  sail  in  an  hour, 
and  the  next  day  she  and  her  little  party  took  a  train 
for  New  York. 


228 


CHAPTEK  XXVIII 

"HOME,  SWEET  HOME" 

ON  the  high-street  of  the  little  town  of  Plainton, 
Maine,  stood  the  neat  white  house  of  Mrs.  Cliff,  with 
Us  green  shutters,  its  porchless  front  door,  its  pretty 
bit  of  flower-garden  at  the  front  and  side,  and  its  neat 
back  yard,  sacred  once  a  week  to  that  virtue  which 
is  next  to  godliness. 

Mrs.  Cliff's  husband  had  been  the  leading  merchant 
in  Plainton,  and  having  saved  some  money,  he  had 
invested  it  in  an  enterprise  of  a  friend  who  had  gone 
into  business  in  Valparaiso.  On  Mr.  Cliff's  death  his 
widow  had  found  herself  with  an  income  smaller  than 
she  had  expected,  and  that  it  was  necessary  to  change 
in  a  degree  her  style  of  living.  The  hospitalities  of 
her  table,  once  so  well  known  throughout  the  circle 
of  her  friends,  must  be  curtailed,  and  the  spare  bed 
room  must  be  less  frequently  occupied.  The  two 
cows  and  the  horse  were  sold,  and  in  every  way  pos 
sible  the  household  was  placed  on  a  more  economical 
basis.  She  had  a  good  house,  and  an  income  on  which, 
with  care  and  prudence,  she  could  live,  but  this  was 
all. 

In  this  condition  of  her  finances  it  was  not  strange 
229 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

that  Mrs.  Cliff  had  thought  a  good  deal  about  the 
investments  in  Valparaiso,  from  which  she  had  not 
heard  for  a  long  time.  Her  husband  had  been  dead 
for  three  years,  and  although  she  had  written  several 
times  to  Valparaiso,  she  had  received  no  answer 
whatever,  and  being  a  woman  of  energy,  she  had 
finally  made  up  her  mind  that  the  proper  thing  to  do 
was  to  go  down  and  see  after  her  affairs.  It  had  not 
been  easy  for  her  to  get  together  the  money  for  this 
long  journey,— in  fact,  she  had  borrowed  some  of  it,— 
and  so,  to  lessen  her  expenses,  she  had  taken  passage 
in  the  Castor  from  San  Francisco. 

She  was  a  housewife  of  high  degree,  and  would  not 
have  thought  of  leaving — perhaps  for  months — her 
immaculate  window-panes  and  her  spotless  floors  and 
furniture,  had  she  not  also  left  some  one  to  take  care 
of  them.  A  distant  cousin,  Miss  Willy  Croup,  had 
lived  with  her  since  her  husband's  death,  and  though 
this  lady  was  willing  to  stay  during  Mrs.  Cliffs  ab 
sence,  Mrs.  Cliff  considered  her  too  quiet  and  inoffen 
sive  to  be  left  in  entire  charge  of  her  possessions,  and 
Miss  Betty  Handshall,  a  worthy  maiden  of  fifty,  a  little 
older  than  Willy,  and  a  much  more  determined  char 
acter,  was  asked  to  come  and  live  in  Mrs.  Cliff's  house 
until  her  return. 

Betty  was  the  only  person  in  Plainton  who  lived  on 
an  annuity,  and  she  was  rather  proud  of  her  inde 
pendent  fortune,  but  as  her  annuity  was  very  small, 
and  as  this  invitation  meant  a  considerable  reduction 
in  her  expenses,  she  was  very  glad  to  accept  it.  Con 
sequently,  Mrs.  Cliff  had  gone  away  feeling  that  she 
had  left  her  house  in  the  hands  of  two  women  almost 
as  neat  as  herself  and  even  more  frugal. 

230 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

When  Mrs.  Cliff  left  Edna  and  Ralph  in  San  Fran 
cisco,  and  went  home,  nearly  all  the  people  in  the  little 
town  who  were  worth  considering  gathered  in  and 
around  her  house  to  bid  her  welcome.  They  had 
heard  of  her  shipwreck,  but  the  details  had  been 
scanty  and  unsatisfactory,  and  the  soul  of  the  town 
throbbed  with  curiosity  to  know  what  had  really  hap 
pened  to  her.  For  the  first  few  hours  of  her  return 
Mrs.  Cliff  was  in  a  state  of  heavenly  ecstasy.  Every 
thing  was  so  tidy,  everything  was  so  clean,  every  face 
beamed  with  such  genial  amity,  her  native  air  was  so 
intoxicating,  that  she  seemed  to  be  in  a  sort  of  para 
dise.  But  when  her  friends  and  neighbors  began  to 
ask  questions,  she  felt  herself  gradually  descending 
into  a  region  which,  for  all  she  knew,  might  resemble 
purgatory. 

Of  course,  there  was  a  great  deal  that  was  wonder 
ful  and  startling  to  relate,  and  as  Mrs.  Cliff  was  a 
good  story-teller,  she  thrilled  the  nerves  of  her 
hearers  with  her  descriptions  of  the  tornado  at  sea 
and  the  Rackbirds  on  land,  and  afterwards  filled  the 
eyes  of  many  of  the  women  with  tears  of  relief  as  she 
told  of  their  escapes,  their  quiet  life  at  the  caves,  and 
their  subsequent  rescue  by  the  Mary  Bartlett.  But  it 
was  the  cross-examinations  which  caused  the  soul  of 
the  narrator  to  sink.  Of  course,  she  had  been  very 
careful  to  avoid  all  mention  of  the  gold  mound,  but 
this  omission  in  her  narrative  proved  to  be  a  defect 
which  she  had  not  anticipated.  As  she  had  told  that 
she  had  lost  everything  except  a  few  effects  she  had 
carried  with  her  from  the  Castor,  it  was  natural 
enough  that  people  should  want  to  know  how  she  had 
been  enabled  to  come  home  in  such  good  fashion. 

231 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

They  had  expected  her  to  return  in  a  shabby,  or  even 
needy,  condition,  and  now  they  had  stories  of  delight 
ful  weeks  at  a  hotel  in  San  Francisco,  and  beheld 
their  poor  shipwrecked  neighbor  dressed  more  hand 
somely  than  they  had  ever  seen  her,  and  with  a  new 
trunk  standing  in  the  lower  hall  which  must  contain 
something. 

Mrs.  Cliff  began  by  telling  the  truth,  and  from  this 
course  she  did  not  intend  to  depart.  She  said  that 
the  captain  of  the  Castor  was  a  just  and  generous  man, 
and,  as  far  as  was  in  his  power,  he  had  reimbursed  the 
unfortunate  passengers  for  their  losses.  But  as  every 
one  knows  the  richest  steamship  companies  are  seldom 
so  generous  to  persons  who  may  be  cast  away  during 
transportation  as  to  offer  them  long  sojourns  at  hotels, 
with  private  parlors  and  private  servants,  and  to  send 
them  home  in  drawing-room  cars,  with  cloaks  trimmed 
with  real  sealskin,  the  questions  became  more  and 
more  direct,  and  all  Mrs.  Cliff  could  do  was  to  stand 
with  her  back  against  the  captain's  generosity,  as  if 
it  had  been  a  rock,  and  rely  upon  it  for  defence. 

But  when  the  neighbors  had  all  gone  home,  and  the 
trunk  had  to  be  opened,  so  that  it  could  be  lightened 
before  being  carried  up -stairs,  the  remarks  of  Willy 
and  Betty  cut  clean  to  the  soul  of  the  unfortunate 
possessor  of  its  contents.  Of  course,  the  captain  had 
not  actually  given  her  this  thing,  and  that  thing,  and 
the  other,  or  the  next  one,  but  he  had  allowed  her  a 
sum  of  money,  and  she  had  expended  it  according  to 
her  own  discretion.  How  much  that  sum  of  money 
might  have  been,  Willy  and  Betty  did  not  dare  to 
ask,— for  there  were  limits  to  Mrs.  Cliff's  forbearance, 
—but  when  they  went  to  bed,  they  consulted  together. 

232 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

If  it  had  not  been  for  the  private  parlor  and  the 
drawing-room  car,  they  would  have  limited  Captain 
Horn's  generosity  to  one  hundred  dollars.  But,  under 
the  circumstances,  that  sum  would  have  been  insuffi 
cient.  It  must  have  been  nearly,  if  not  quite,  two 
hundred.  As  for  Mrs.  Cliff,  she  went  to  bed  regret 
ting  that  her  reservations  had  not  been  more  ex 
tended,  and  that  she  had  not  given  the  gold  mound 
in  the  cave  more  company.  She  hated  prevarications 
and  concealments,  but  if  she  must  conceal  something, 
she  should  have  concealed  more.  When  the  time 
came  when  she  would  be  free  to  tell  of  her  good  for 
tune,  even  if  it  should  be  no  more  than  she  already 
possessed,  then  she  would  explain  everything,  and 
proudly  demand  of  her  friends  and  neighbors  to  put 
their  fingers  on  a  single  untruth  that  she  had  told 
them. 

For  the  next  day  or  two,  Mrs.  Cliffs  joy  in  living 
again  in  her  own  home  banished  all  other  feelings, 
and  as  she  was  careful  to  say  nothing  to  provoke 
more  questions,  and  as  those  which  were  still  asked 
became  uncertain  of  aim  and  scattering,  her  regrets 
at  her  want  of  reticence  began  to  fade.  But,  no  mat 
ter  what  she  did,  where  she  went,  or  what  she  looked 
at,  Mrs.  Cliff  carried  about  with  her  a  millstone.  It 
did  not  hang  from  her  neck,  but  it  was  in  her  pocket. 
It  was  not  very  heavy,  but  it  was  a  burden  to  her. 
It  was  her  money — which  she  wanted  to  spend,  but 
dared  not. 

On  leaving  San  Francisco,  Edna  had  wished  to  give 
her  the  full  amount  which  the  captain  had  so  far  sent 
her,  but  Mrs.  Cliff  declined  to  receive  the  whole.  She 
did  not  see  any  strong  reason  to  believe  that  the  cap- 

233 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

tain  would  ever  send  any  more,  and  as  she  had  a 
home,  and  Ralph  and  Edna  had  not,  she  would  not 
take  all  the  money  that  was  due  her,  feeling  that  they 
might  come  to  need  it  more  than  she  would.  But 
even  with  this  generous  self-denial  she  found  herself 
in  Plainton  with  a  balance  of  some  thousands  of  dollars 
in  her  possession,  and  as  much  more  in  Edna's  hands, 
which  the  latter  had  insisted  that  she  would  hold  sub 
ject  to  order.  What  would  the  neighbors  think  of 
Captain  Horn's  abnormal  bounteousness  if  they  knew 
this? 

With  what  a  yearning,  aching  heart  Mrs.  Cliff 
looked  upon  the  little  picket-fence  which  ran  across 
the  front  of  her  property  !  How  beautiful  that  fence 
would  be  with  a  new  coat  of  paint,  and  how  perfectly 
well  she  could  afford  it !  And  there  was  the  little 
shed  that  should  be  over  the  back  door,  which  would 
keep  the  sun  from  the  kitchen  in  summer,  and  in 
winter  the  snow.  There  was  this  in  one  room,  and 
that  in  another.  There  were  new  dishes  which  could 
exist  only  in  her  mind.  How  much  domestic  gratifi 
cation  there  was  within  her  reach,  but  toward  which 
she  did  not  dare  to  stretch  out  her  hand  ! 

There  was  poor  old  Mrs.  Bradley,  who  must  shortly 
leave  the  home  in  which  she  had  lived  nearly  all  her 
life,  because  she  could  no  longer  afford  to  pay  the  rent. 
There  had  been  an  attempt  to  raise  enough  money  by 
subscription  to  give  the  old  lady  her  home  for  another 
year,  but  this  had  not  been  very  successful.  Mrs.  Cliff 
could  easily  have  supplied  the  deficit,  and  it  would 
have  given  her  real  pleasure  to  do  so, — for  she  had 
almost  an  affection  for  the  old  lady, — but  when  she 
asked  to  be  allowed  to  subscribe,  she  did  not  dare  to 

234 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

give  more  than  one  dollar,  which  was  the  largest  sum 
upon  the  list,  and  even  then  Betty  had  said  that, 
under  the  circumstances,  she  could  not  have  been 
expected  to  give  anything. 

When  she  went  out  into  the  little  barn  at  the  rear 
of  the  house,  and  saw  the  empty  cow-stable,  how  she 
longed  for  fresh  cream,  and  butter  of  her  own  mak 
ing  !  And  when  she  gazed  upon  her  little  phaeton, 
which  she  had  not  sold  because  no  one  wanted  it,  and 
reflected  that  her  good,  brown  horse  could  doubtless 
be  bought  back  for  a  moderate  sum,  she  almost 
wished  that  she  had  come  home  as  poor  as  people 
thought  she  ought  to  be. 

Now  and  then  she  ordered  something  done  or  spent 
some  money  in  a  way  that  excited  the  astonishment 
of  Willy  Croup— the  sharper- witted  Betty  had  gone 
home,  for,  of  course,  Mrs.  Cliff  could  not  be  expected 
to  be  able  to  afford  her  company  now.  But  in  at 
tempting  to  account  for  these  inconsiderable  extrava 
gances,  Mrs.  Cliff  was  often  obliged  to  content  her 
self  with  admitting  that  while  she  had  been  abroad 
she  might  have  acquired  some  of  those  habits  of 
prodigality  peculiar  to  our  Western  country.  This 
might  be  a  sufficient  excuse  for  the  new  bottom  step 
to  the  side  door,  but  how  could  she  account  for  the 
pair  of  soft,  warm  Californian  blankets  which  were  at 
the  bottom  of  the  trunk,  and  which  she  had  not  yet 
taken  out  even  to  air  ? 

Matters  had  gone  on  in  this  way  for  nearly  a 
month,— every  day  Mrs.  Cliff  had  thought  of  some 
new  expenditure  which  she  could  well  afford,  and 
every  night  she  wished  that  she  dared  to  put  her 
money  in  the  town  bank  and  so  be  relieved  from  the 

235 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

necessity  of  thinking  so  much  about  door-locks  and 
window-fastenings,— when  there  came  a  letter  from 
Edna,  informing  her  of  the  captain's  safe  arrival  in 
Acapulco  with  the  cargo  of  guano  and  gold,  and  in 
closing  a  draft  which  first  made  Mrs.  Cliff  turn  pale, 
and  then  compelled  her  to  sit  down  on  the  floor  and 
cry.  The  letter  related  in  brief  the  captain's  adven 
tures,  and  stated  his  intention  of  returning  for  the 
gold. 

"To  think  of  it !  "  softly  sobbed  Mrs.  Cliff,  after  she 
had  carefully  closed  her  bedroom  door.  "With  this 
and  what  I  am  to  get,  I  believe  I  could  buy  the  bank, 
and  yet  I  can  only  sit  here  and  try  to  think  of  some 
place  to  hide  this  dangerous  piece  of  paper." 

The  draft  was  drawn  by  a  San  Francisco  house 
upon  a  Boston  bank,  and  Edna  had  suggested  that  it 
might  be  well  for  Mrs.  Cliff  to  open  an  account  in  the 
latter  city.  But  the  poor  lady  knew  that  would  never 
do.  A  bank-account  in  Boston  would  soon  become 
known  to  the  people  of  Plainton,  and  what  was  the 
use  of  having  an  account  anywhere  if  she  could  not 
draw  from  it?  Edna  had  not  failed  to  reiterate  the 
necessity  of  keeping  the  gold  discovery  an  absolute 
secret,  and  every  word  she  said  upon  this  point  in 
creased  Mrs.  Cliffs  depression. 

"If  it  were  only  for  a  fixed  time,  a  month  or  three 
months,  or  even  six  months,"  the  poor  lady  said  to 
herself,  "I  might  stand  it.  It  would  be  hard  to 
do  without  all  the  things  I  want,  and  be  afraid  even 
to  pay  the  money  I  borrowed  to  go  to  South  America, 
but  if  I  knew  when  the  day  was  certainly  coming 
when  I  could  hold  up  my  head  and  let  everybody 
know  just  what  I  am,  and  take  my  proper  place  in  the 

236 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

community,  then  I  might  wait.  But  nobody  knows 
how  long  it  will  take  the  captain  to  get  away  with 
that  gold.  He  may  have  to  make  ever  so  many 
voyages.  He  may  meet  with  wrecks,  and  dear  knows 
what.  It  may  be  years  before  they  are  ready  to  tell 
me  I  am  a  free  woman,  and  may  do  what  I  please 
with  my  own.  I  may  die  in  poverty,  and  leave  Mr. 
Cliffs  nephews  to  get  all  the  good  of  the  draft  and  the 
money  in  my  trunk  up-stairs.  I  suppose  they  would 
think  it  came  from  Valparaiso,  and  that  I  had  been 
hoarding  it.  It's  all  very  well  for  Edna.  She  is  going 
to  Europe,  where  Kalph  will  be  educated,  I  suppose, 
and  where  she  can  live  as  she  pleases,  and  nobody  will 
ask  her  any  questions,  and  she  need  not  answer  them, 
if  they  should.  But  I  must  stay  here,  in  debt,  and  in 
actual  want  of  the  comforts  of  life,  making  believe  to 
pinch  and  to  save,  until  a  sea-captain  thousands  and 
thousands  of  miles  away  shall  feel  that  he  is  ready  to 
let  me  put  my  hand  in  my  pocket  and  spend  my 
riches." 


237 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

A   COMMITTEE   OF   LADIES 

IT  was  about  a  week  after  the  receipt  of  Edna's  letter 
that  Willy  Croup  came  to  Mrs.  Cliffs  bedroom,  where 
that  lady  had  been  taking  a  surreptitious  glance  at  her 
Californian  blankets,  to  tell  her  that  there  were  three 
ladies  down  in  the  parlor  who  wished  to  see  her. 

"It's  the  minister's  wife,  and  Mrs.  Heinbold,  and  old 
Miss  Shott,"  said  Willy.  "They  are  all  dressed  up, 
and  I  suppose  they  have  come  for  something  particu 
lar,  so  you'd  better  fix  up  a  little  afore  you  go  down." 

In  her  present  state  of  mind,  Mrs.  Cliff  was  ready  to 
believe  that  anybody  who  came  to  see  her  would  cer 
tainly  want  to  know  something  which  she  could  not 
tell  them,  and  she  went  down  fearfully.  But  these 
ladies  did  not  come  to  ask  questions.  They  caine  to 
make  statements.  Mrs.  Perley,  the  minister's  wife, 
opened  the  interview  by  stating  that,  while  she  was 
sorry  to  see  Mrs.  Cliff  looking  so  pale  and  worried,  she 
was  very  glad,  at  the  same  time,  to  be  able  to  say  some 
thing  which  might,  in  some  degree,  relieve  her  anxiety 
and  comfort  her  mind,  by  showing  her  that  she  was 
surrounded  by  friends  who  could  give  her  their  heart 
felt  sympathy  in  her  troubles,  and  perhaps  do  a  little 
more. 

238 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

"We  all  know,"  said  Mrs.  Parley,  "that  you  have 
had  misfortunes,  and  that  they  have  been  of  a  peculiar 
kind,  and  none  of  them  owing  to  your  own  fault." 

"We  can't  agree  exactly  to  that,"  interpolated  Miss 
Shott,  "but  I  won't  interrupt." 

"We  all  know,"  continued  Mrs.  Perley,  "that  it  was 
a  great  loss  and  disappointment  to  you  not  to  be  able 
to  get  down  to  Valparaiso  and  settle  your  affairs  there, 
for  we  are  aware  that  you  need  whatever  money  is 
due  you  from  that  quarter.  And  we  understand,  too, 
what  a  great  blow  it  was  to  you  to  be  shipwrecked, 
and  lose  all  your  baggage  except  a  hand-bag." 

Miss  Shott  was  about  to  say  something  here,  but 
Mrs.  Hembold  touched  her  on  the  arm,  and  she  waited. 

"It  grieves  us  very  much,"  continued  the  minister's 
wife,  "to  think  that  our  dear  friend  and  neighbor 
should  come  home  from  her  wanderings  and  perils 
and  privations,  and  find  herself  in  what  must  be, 
although  we  do  not  wish  to  pry  into  your  private 
affairs,  something  of  an  embarrassed  condition.  We 
have  all  stayed  at  home  with  our  friends  and  our 
families,  and  we  have  had  no  special  prosperity,  but 
neither  have  we  met  with  losses,  and  it  grieves  us  to 
think  that  you,  who  were  once  as  prosperous  as  any 
of  us,  should  now  feel— I  should  say  experience— in 
any  manner  the  pressure  of  privation." 

"I  don't  understand,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  sitting  up  very 
straight  in  her  chair.  "Privation?  What  does  that 
mean  ?  " 

"It  may  not  be  exactly  that,"  said  Mrs.  Perley, 
quickly,  "and  we  all  know  very  well,  Mrs.  Cliff,  that 
you  are  naturally  sensitive  on  a  point  like  this.  But 
you  have  come  back  shipwrecked  and  disappointed  in 

239 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

your  business,  and  we  want  to  show  you  that,  while 
we  would  not  hurt  your  feelings  for  anything  in  the 
world,  we  would  like  to  help  you  a  little,  if  we  can, 
just  as  we  would  hope  you  would  help  us  if  we  were 
in  any  embarrassment." 

"I  must  say,  however—"  remarked  Miss  Shott ;  but 
she  was  again  silenced  by  Mrs.  Hembold,  and  the 
minister's  wife  went  on. 

"To  come  straight  to  the  point,"  said  she,  "for  a 
good  while  we  have  been  wanting  to  do  something, 
and  we  did  not  know  what  to  do.  But  a  few  days  ago 
we  became  aware,  through  Miss  Willy  Croup,  that 
what  was  most  needed  in  this  house  is  blankets.  She 
said,  in  fact,  that  the  blankets  you  had  were  the  same 
you  bought  when  you  were  first  married,  that  some  of 
them  had  been  worn  out  and  given  to  your  poorer 
neighbors,  and  that  now  you  were  very  short  of  blan 
kets,  and,  with  cold  weather  coming  on,  she  did  not 
consider  that  the  clothing  on  your  own  bed  was  suffi 
cient.  She  even  went  so  far  as  to  say  that  the  blankets 
she  used  were  very  thin,  and  that  she  did  not  think 
they  were  warm  enough  for  winter.  So,  some  of  us 
have  agreed  together  that  we  would  testify  our  friend 
ship  and  our  sympathy  by  presenting  you  with  a  pair 
of  good,  warm  blankets  for  your  own  bed  ;  then  those 
you  have  could  go  to  Willy  Croup,  and  you  both  would 
be  comfortable  all  winter.  Of  course,  what  we  have 
done  has  not  been  upon  an  expensive  scale.  We  have 
had  many  calls  upon  us,— poor  old  Mrs.  Bradley,  for 
one,— and  we  could  not  afford  to  spend  much  money. 
But  we  have  bought  you  a  good  pair  of  blankets,  which 
are  warm  and  serviceable,  and  we  hope  you  will  not 
be  offended,  and  we  do  not  believe  that  you  will  be, 

240 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

for  you  know  our  motives,  and  all  that  we  ask  is  that 
when  you  are  warm  and  comfortable  under  our  little 
gift,  you  will  sometimes  think  of  us.  The  blankets 
are  out  in  the  hall,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  Miss 
Willy  Croup  will  bring  them  in." 

Mrs.  Cliff's  eyes  filled  with  tears.  She  wanted  to 
speak,  but  how  could  she  speak  !  But  she  was  saved 
from  further  embarrassment,  for  when  Willy,  who 
had  been  standing  in  the  doorway,  had  gone  to  get 
the  blankets,  Miss  Shott  could  be  restrained  no  longer. 

"I  am  bound  to  say,"  she  began,  "that,  while  I  put 
my  money  in  with  the  rest  to  get  those  blankets,— and 
am  very  glad  to  be  able  to  do  it,  Mrs.  Cliff,— I  don't 
think  that  we  ought  to  do  anything  which  would  look 
as  if  we  were  giving  our  countenances  to  useless  ex 
travagances  in  persons,  even  if  they  are  our  friends, 
who,  with  but  small  means,  think  they  must  live  like 
rich  people,  simply  because  they  happen  to  be  travel 
ling  among  them.  It  is  not  for  me  to  allude  to  hotels 
in  towns  where  there  are  good  boarding-houses,  to 
vestibule  cars  and  fur-trimmed  cloaks  ;  but  I  will  say 
that  when  I  am  called  upon  to  help  my  friends  who 
need  it,  I  will  do  it  as  quick  as  anybody,  but  I  also 
feel  called  upon  by  my  conscience  to  lift  up  my  voice 
against  spending  for  useless  things  what  little  money 
a  person  may  have,  when  that  person  needs  that  money 
for— well,  for  things  I  shall  not  mention.  And  now 
that  I  have  said  my  say,  I  am  just  as  glad  to  help  give 
you  those  blankets,  Mrs.  Cliff,  as  anybody  else  is." 

Every  one  in  the  room  knew  that  the  thing  she 
would  not  mention  was  the  money  Mrs.  Cliff  had  bor 
rowed  for  her  passage.  Miss  Shott  had  not  lent  any 
of  it,  but  her  brother,  a  retired  carpenter  and  builder, 

241 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

had,  and  as  his  sister  expected  to  outlive  him,  although 
he  was  twelve  years  younger  than  she  was,  she  natu 
rally  felt  a  little  sore  upon  this  point. 

Now  Mrs.  Cliff  was  herself  again.  She  was  not  em 
barrassed.  She  was  neither  pale  nor  trembling.  With 
a  stern  severity,  not  unknown  to  her  friends  and  neigh 
bors  in  former  days,  she  rose  to  her  feet. 

"Nancy  Shott,"  said  she,  "I  don't  know  anything 
that  makes  me  feel  more  at  home  than  to  hear  you 
talk  like  that.  You  are  the  same  woman  that  never 
could  kiss  a  baby  without  wanting  to  spank  it  at  the 
same  time.  I  know  what  is  the  matter  with  you.  You 
are  thinking  of  that  money  I  borrowed  from  your 
brother.  Well,  I  borrowed  that  for  a  year,  and  the 
time  is  not  up  yet ;  but  when  it  is,  I'll  pay  it,  every 
cent  of  it,  and  interest  added.  I  knew  what  I  was 
about  when  I  borrowed  it,  and  I  know  what  I  am 
about  now,  and  if  I  get  angry  and  pay  it  before  it 
becomes  due,  he  will  lose  that  much  interest,  and  he 
can  charge  it  to  you.  That  is  all  I  have  to  say  to  you. 

"As  for  you,  Mrs.  Perley,  and  the  other  persons  who 
gave  me  these  blankets,  I  want  you  to  feel  that  I  am 
just  as  grateful  as  if— just  as  grateful  as  I  can  be,  and 
far  more  for  the  friendliness  than  for  the  goods.  I 
won't  say  anything  more  about  that,  and  it  isn't  neces 
sary,  but  I  must  say  one  thing.  I  am  ready  to  take 
the  blankets,  and  to  thank  you  from  the  bottom  of 
my  heart,  but  I  will  not  have  them  unless  the  money 
Miss  Shott  put  in  is  given  back  to  her.  Whatever 
that  was,  I  will  make  it  up  myself,  and  I  hope  I  may 
be  excused  for  saying  that  I  don't  believe  it  will 
break  me." 

New  there  was  a  scene.  Miss  Shott  rose  in  anger 
242 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

and  marched  out  of  the  house.  Mrs.  Perley  and  the 
other  lady  expostulated  with  Mrs.  Cliff  for  a  time,  but 
they  knew  her  very  well,  and  soon  desisted.  Twenty- 
five  cents  was  handed  to  Mrs.  Perley  to  take  the  place 
of  the  sum  contributed  by  Miss  Shott,  and  the  ladies 
departed,  and  the  blankets  were  taken  up-stairs.  Mrs. 
Cliff  gave  one  glance  at  them  as  Willy  Croup  spread 
them  out. 

"If  those  women  could  see  my  Californian  blan 
kets  ! "  she  said  to  herself,  but  to  Willy  she  said,  "They 
are  very  nice,  and  you  may  put  them  away." 

Then  she  went  to  her  own  room  and  went  to  bed. 
This  last  shock  was  too  much  for  her  nerves  to  bear. 
In  the  afternoon  Willy  brought  her  some  tea,  but  the 
poor  lady  would  not  get  up.  So  long  as  she  stayed  in 
bed,  people  could  be  kept  away  from  her,  but  there 
was  nowhere  else  where  she  could  be  in  peace. 

All  night  she  lay  and  thought  and  thought  and 
thought.  What  should  she  do1?  She  could  not  en 
dure  this  condition  of  things.  There  was  only  one 
relief  that  presented  itself  to  her  :  she  might  go  to  Mr. 
Perley,  her  minister,  and  confide  everything  to  him. 
He  would  tell  her  what  she  ought  to  do. 

"But,"  she  thought,  "suppose  he  should  say  it  should 
all  go  to  the  Peruvians  ! "  And  then  she  had  more 
thinking  to  do,  based  upon  this  contingency,  which 
brought  on  a  headache,  and  she  remained  in  bed  all 
tbe  next  day. 

The  next  morning,  Willy  Croup,  who  had  begun  to 
regret  that  she  had  ever  said  anything  about  blankets, 
— but  how  could  she  have  imagined  that  anybody 
could  be  so  cut  up  at  what  that  old  Shott  woman  had 
said?— brought  Mrs.  Cliff  a  letter. 

243 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

This  was  from  Edna,  stating  that  she  and  Ralph  and 
the  two  negroes  had  just  arrived  in  New  York,  from 
which  point  they  were  to  sail  for  Havre.  Edna  wished 
Tery  much  to  see  Mrs.  Cliff  before  she  left  the  country, 
and  wrote  that  if  it  would  be  convenient  for  that  lady, 
she  would  run  up  to  Plainton  and  stay  a  day  or  two 
with  her.  There  would  be  time  enough  for  this  be 
fore  the  steamer  sailed.  When  she  read  this  brief 
note,  Mrs.  Cliff  sprang  out  of  bed. 

"Edna  come  here  ! "  she  exclaimed.  "That  would 
be  simply  ruin  !  But  I  must  see  her.  I  must  tell  her 
everything,  and  let  her  help  me." 

As  soon  as  she  was  dressed,  she  went  down-stairs  and 
told  Willy  that  she  would  start  for  New  York  that 
very  afternoon.  She  had  received  a  letter  from  Mrs. 
Horn,  and  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  see  her  be 
fore  she  sailed.  With  only  a  small  leather  bag  in  her 
hand,  and  nearly  all  her  ready  money  and  her  peace- 
destroying  draft  sewed  up  inside  the  body  of  her  dress, 
she  left  Plainton,  and  when  her  friends  and  neighbors 
heard  that  she  had  gone,  they  could  only  ascribe  such 
a  sudden  departure  to  the  strange  notions  she  had  im 
bibed  in  foreign  parts.  When  Plainton  people  con 
templated  a  journey,  they  told  everybody  about  it,  and 
took  plenty  of  time  to  make  preparations  ;  but  South 
Americans  and  Californiaus  would  start  anywhere  at 
a  moment's  notice.  People  had  thought  that  Mrs. 
Cliff  was  too  old  to  be  influenced  by  association  in  that 
way,  but  it  was  plain  that  they  had  been  mistaken, 
and  there  were  those  who  were  very  much  afraid  that 
even  if  the  poor  lady  had  got  whatever  ought  to  be 
coming  to  her  from  the  Valparaiso  business,  it  would 
have  been  of  little  use  to  her.  Her  old  principles  of 

244 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

economy  and  prudence  must  have  been  terribly 
shaken.  This  very  journey  to  New  York  would 
probably  cost  twenty  dollars  ! 

When  Mrs.  Cliff  entered  Edna's  room  in  a  New  York 
hotel,  the  latter  was  startled,  almost  frightened.  She 
had  expected  her  visitor,  for  she  had  had  a  telegram, 
but  she  scarcely  recognized  at  the  first  glance  the  pale 
and  haggard  woman  who  had  come  to  her. 

"Sick  ! "  exclaimed  poor  Mrs.  Cliff,  as  she  sank  upon 
a  sofa.  "Yes,  I  am  sick,  but  not  in  body,  only  in 
heart.  Well,  it  is  hard  to  tell  you  what  is  the  matter. 
The  nearest  I  can  get  to  it  is  that  it  is  wealth  struck 
in,  as  measles  sometimes  strike  in  when  they  ought  to 
come  out  properly,  and  one  is  just  as  dangerous  as  the 
other." 

When  Mrs.  Cliff  had  had  something  to  eat  and  drink, 
and  had  begun  to  tell  her  tale,  Edna  listened  with 
great  interest  and  sympathy.  But  when  the  good  lady 
had  nearly  finished,  and  was  speaking  of  her  resolution 
to  confide  everything  to  Mr.  Perley,  Edna's  gaze  at 
her  friend  became  very  intent,  and  her  hands  tightly 
grasped  the  arms  of  the  chair  in  which  she  was  sitting. 

"Mrs.  Cliff,"  said  she,  when  the  other  had  finished, 
"there  is  but  one  thing  for  you  to  do  :  you  must  go  to 
Europe  with  us." 

"Now  ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff.  "In  the  steamer  you 
have  engaged  passage  in  ?  Impossible !  I  could  not 
go  home  and  settle  up  everything  and  come  back  in 
time." 

"But  you  must  not  go  home,"  said  Edna.  "You  must 
not  think  of  it.  Your  troubles  would  begin  again  as 
soon  as  you  got  there.  You  must  stay  here  and  go 
when  we  do." 

245 


Mrs.  Cliff  stared  at  her.  "But  I  have  only  a  bag  and 
the  clothes  I  have  on.  I  am  not  ready  for  a  voyage. 
And  there's  the  house,  with  nobody  but  Willy  in  it. 
Don't  you  see  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  go  ? " 

"What  you  need  for  the  passage/'  said  Edna,  "you 
can  buy  here  in  a  few  hours,  and  everything  else  you 
can  get  on  the  other  side  a  great  deal  cheaper  and 
better  than  here.  As  to  your  house,  you  can  write  to 
that  other  lady  to  go  there  and  stay  with  Miss  Croup 
until  you  come  back.  I  tell  you,  Mrs.  Cliff,  that  all 
these  things  have  become  mere  trifles  to  you.  I  dare 
say  you  could  buy  another  house  such  as  you  own  in 
Plainton,  and  scarcely  miss  the  money.  Compared  to 
your  health  and  happiness,  the  loss  of  that  house,  even 
if  it  should  burn  up  while  you  are  away,  would  be  as 
a  penny  thrown  to  a  beggar." 

"And  there  is  my  new  trunk,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "with 
my  blankets  and  ever  so  many  things  locked  up  in  it." 

"Let  it  stay  there,"  said  Edna.  "'You  will  not  need 
the  blankets,  and  I  don't  believe  any  one  will  pick  the 
lock." 

"But  how  shall  I  explain  my  running  away  in  such 
a  fashion  1  What  will  they  all  think  ?  " 

"Simply  write,"  said  Edna,  "that  you  are  going  to 
Europe  as  companion  to  Mrs.  Horn.  If  they  think 
you  are  poor,  that  will  explain  everything.  And  you 
may  add,  if  you  choose,  that  Mrs.  Horn  is  so  anxious 
to  have  you,  she  will  take  no  denial,  and  it  is  on  ac 
count  of  her  earnest  entreaties  that  you  are  unable  to 
go  home  and  take  leave  in  a  proper  way  of  your 
friends." 

It  was  half  an  hour  afterwards  that  Mrs.  Cliff  said  : 
"Well,  Edna,  I  will  go  with  you.  But  I  can  tell  you 

246 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

this :  I  would  gladly  give  up  all  the  mountains  and 
palaces  I  may  see  in  Europe,  if  I  could  go  back  to 
Plainton  this  day,  deposit  my  money  in  the  Plaiuton 
bank,  and  then  begin  to  live  according  to  my  means. 
That  would  be  a  joy  that  nothing  else  on  this  earth 
could  give  me." 

Edna  laughed.  "All  you  have  to  do,"  she  said,  "is 
to  be  patient  and  wait  awhile,  and  then,  when  you  go 
back  like  a  queen  to  Plainton,  you  will  have  had  your 
mountains  and  your  palaces  besides." 


24: 


CHAPTER  XXX 

AT  THE  HOTEL  BOILEATJ 

Ii  was  early  in  December,— two  months  after  the 
departure  of  Edna  and  her  little  party  from  New 
York,— and  they  were  all  comfortably  domiciled  in 
the  Hotel  Boileau,  in  a  quiet  street,  not  far  from  the 
Boulevard  des  Italiens.  This  house,  to  which  they  came 
soon  after  their  arrival  in  Paris,  might  be  considered 
to  belong  to  the  family  order,  but  its  grade  was  much 
higher  than  that  of  the  hotel  in  which  they  had  lived 
in  San  Francisco.  As  in  the  former  place,  they  had 
private  apartments,  a  private  table,  and  the  service  of 
their  own  colored  men,  in  addition  to  that  of  the  hotel 
servants.  But  their  salon  was  large  and  beautifully 
furnished,  their  meals  were  cooked  by  a  French  chef, 
every  one,  from  the  lordly  porter  to  the  quick-footed 
chambermaid,  served  them  with  a  courteous  interest, 
and  Mrs.  Cliff  said  that  although  their  life  in  the  two 
hotels  seemed  to  be  in  the  main  the  same  sort  of  life, 
they  were,  in  reality,  as  different  as  an  old,  dingy 
mahogany  bureau,  just  dragged  from  an  attic,  and 
that  same  piece  of  furniture  when  it  had  been  rubbed 
down,  oiled,  and  varnished.  And  Ralph  declared  that, 
so  far  as  he  knew  anything  about  it,  there  was  nothing 

248 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

like  the  air  of  Paris  to  bring  out  the  tones  and  color 
ings  and  veinings  of  hotel  life.  But  the  greatest  dif 
ference  between  the  former  and  the  present  condition 
of  this  little  party  lay  in  the  fact  that  in  San  Francisco 
its  principal  member  was  Mrs.  Philip  Horn,  while  in 
Paris  it  was  Miss  Edna  Markham. 

This  change  of  name  had  been  the  result  of  nights 
of  thought  and  hours  of  consultation.  In  San  Fran 
cisco  Edna  felt  herself  to  be  Mrs.  Horn  as  truly  as  if 
they  had  been  married  at  high  noon  in  one  of  the 
city  churches,  but  although  she  could  see  no  reason  to 
change  her  faith  in  the  reality  of  her  conjugal  status, 
she  had  begun  to  fear  that  Captain  Horn  might  have 
different  views  upon  the  subject.  This  feeling  had 
been  brought  about  by  the  tone  of  his  letters.  If  he 
should  die,  those  letters  might  prove  that  she  was 
then  his  widow,  but  it  was  plain  that  he  did  not  wish 
to  impress  upon  her  mind  that  she  was  now  his  wife. 

If  she  had  remained  in  San  Francisco,  Edna  would 
have  retained  the  captain's  name.  There  she  was  a 
stranger,  and  Captain  Horn  was  well  known.  His 
agents  knew  her  as  Mrs.  Horn,  the  people  of  the  Mary 
Bartlett  knew  her  as  such,  and  she  should  not  have 
thought  of  resigning  it.  But  in  Paris  the  case  was 
very  different.  There  she  had  friends,  and  expected 
to  make  more,  and  in  that  city  she  was  quite  sure  that 
Captain  Horn  was  very  little  known. 

Edna's  Parisian  friends  were  all  Americans,  and 
some  of  them  people  of  consideration,  one  of  her  old 
schoolmates  being  the  wife  of  a  secretary  of  the 
American  legation.  Could  she  appear  before  these 
friends  as  Mrs.  Captain  Philip  Horn,  feeling  that  not 
only  was  she  utterly  unable  to  produce  Captain  Horn, 

249 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

but  that  she  might  never  be  able  to  do  so?  Should 
the  captain  not  return,  and  should  she  have  proofs  of 
his  death,  or  sufficient  reason  to  believe  it,  she  might 
then  do  as  she  pleased  about  claiming  her  place  as  his 
widow.  But  should  he  return,  he  should  not  find  that 
she  had  trammelled  and  impeded  his  plans  and  pur 
poses  by  announcing  herself  as  his  wife.  She  did  not 
expect  ever  to  live  in  San  Francisco  again,  and  in  no 
other  place  need  she  be  known  as  Mrs.  Horn. 

As  to  the  business  objects  of  her  exceptional  mar 
riage,  they  were,  in  a  large  degree,  already  attained. 
The  money  Captain  Horn  had  remitted  to  her  in  San 
Francisco  was  a  sum  so  large  as  to  astound  her,  and 
when  she  reached  Paris  she  lost  no  time  in  depositing 
her  funds  under  her  maiden  name.  For  the  sake  of 
security,  some  of  the  money  was  sent  to  a  London 
banker,  and  in  Paris  she  did  not  deposit  with  the 
banking  house  which  Captain  Horn  had  mentioned. 
But  directions  were  left  with  that  house  that  if  a  let 
ter  ever  came  to  Mrs.  Philip  Horn,  it  was  to  be  sent 
to  her  in  care  of  Mrs.  Cliff,  and,  to  facilitate  the  recep 
tion  of  such  a  letter,  Mrs.  Cliff  made  Wraxton,  Fuguet 
&  Co.  her  bankers,  and  all  her  letters  were  addressed 
to  them.  But  at  Edna's  bankers  she  was  known  as  Miss 
Markham,  and  her  only  Parisian  connection  with  the 
name  of  Horn  was  through  Mrs.  Cliff. 

The  amount  of  money  now  possessed  by  Edna  was, 
indeed,  a  very  fair  fortune  for  her,  without  regarding 
it,  as  Captain  Horn  had  requested,  as  a  remittance  to 
be  used  as  a  year's  income.  In  his  letters  accompany 
ing  his  remittances  the  captain  had  always  spoken  of 
them  as  her  share  of  the  gold  brought  away,  and  in 

250 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

this  respect  lie  treated  her  exactly  as  he  treated  Mrs. 
Cliff,  and  in  only  one  respect  had  she  any  reason  to 
infer  that  the  money  was  in  any  manner  a  contribu 
tion  from  himself.  In  making  her  divisions  according 
to  his  directions,  her  portion  was  so  much  greater 
than  that  of  the  others,  Edna  imagined  Captain  Horn 
sent  her  his  share  as  well  as  her  own.  But  of  this  she 
did  not  feel  certain,  and  should  he  succeed  in  securing 
the  rest  of  the  gold  in  the  mound,  she  did  not  know 
what  division  he  would  make.  Consequently,  this 
little  thread  of  a  tie  between  herself  and  the  captain, 
woven  merely  of  some  hypothetical  arithmetic,  was 
but  a  cobweb  of  a  thread.  The  resumption  of  her 
maiden  name  had  been  stoutly  combated  by  both  Mrs. 
Cliff  and  Ralph.  The  first  firmly  insisted  upon  the 
validity  of  the  marriage,  so  long  as  the  captain  did 
not  appear,  but  she  did  not  cease  to  insist  that  the 
moment  he  did  appear,  there  should  be  another 
ceremony. 

"But,"  said  Edna,  "you  know  that  Cheditafa's  cere 
mony  was  performed  simply  for  the  purpose  of  secur 
ing  to  me,  in  case  of  his  loss  on  that  boat  trip,  a  right 
to  claim  the  benefit  of  his  discovery.  If  he  should 
come  back,  he  can  give  me  all  the  benefit  I  have  a 
right  to  claim  from  that  discovery,  just  as  he  gives 
you  your  share,  without  the  least  necessity  of  a  civil 
ized  marriage.  Now,  would  you  advise  me  to  take  a 
step  which  would  seem  to  force  upon  him  the  necessity 
for  such  a  marriage  ?  " 

"No,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff.  "But  all  your  reasoning  is 
on  a  wrong  basis.  I  haven't  the  least  doubt  in  the 
•world — I  don't  see  how  any  one  can  have  a  doubt — 

251 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

that  the  captain  intends  to  come  back  and  claim  you  as 
his  wife  ;  and  if  anything  more  be  necessary  to  make 
you  such,  as  I  consider  there  would  be,  he  would  be 
as  ready  as  anybody  to  do  it.  And,  Edna,  if  you 
could  see  yourself,  not  merely  as  you  look  in  the  glass, 
but  as  he  would  see  you,  you  would  know  that  he 
would  be  as  ready  as  any  of  us  would  wish  him  to  be. 
And  how  will  he  feel,  do  you  suppose,  when  he  finds 
that  you  renounce  him  and  are  going  about  under 
your  maiden  name  ?  " 

In  her  heart  Edna  answered  that  she  hoped  he 
might  feel  very  much  as  she  had  felt  when  he  did  not 
come  to  see  her  in  San  Francisco,  but  to  Mrs.  Cliff  she 
said  she  had  no  doubt  that  he  would  fully  appreciate 
her  reasons  for  assuming  her  old  name. 

Ralph's  remarks  were  briefer,  and  more  to  the 
point. 

"He  married  you,"  he  said,  "the  best  way  he  could 
under  the  circumstances,  and  wrote  to  you  as  his  wife, 
and  in  San  Francisco  you  took  his  name.  Now,  if  he 
comes  back  and  says  you  are  not  his  wife,  I'll  kill 
him." 

"If  I  were  you,  Kalph,"  said  his  sister,  "I  wouldn't 
do  that.  In  fact,  I  may  say  I  would  disapprove  of  any 
such  proceeding." 

"Oh,  you  can  laugh,"  said  he,  "but  it  makes  no 
difference  to  me.  I  shall  take  the  matter  into  my 
own  hands  if  he  repudiates  that  contract." 

"But  suppose  I  give  him  no  chance  to  repudiate 
if?"  said  Edna.  "Suppose  he  finds  me  Miss  Edna 
Markham,  and  finds,  also,  that  I  wish  to  continue  to 
be  that  lady  ?  If  what  has  been  done  has  any  force 
at  all,  it  can  easily  be  set  aside  by  law." 

252 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Ralph  rose  and  walked  up  and  down  the  floor,  his 
hands  thrust  deep  into  his  pockets. 

"That's  just  like  a  woman,"  he  said.  "They  are 
always  popping  up  new  and  different  views  of  things, 
and  that  is  a  view  I  hadn't  thought  of.  Is  that  what 
you  intend  to  do  ?  " 

"No,"  said  Edna,  "I  do  not  intend  to  do  anything. 
All  I  wish  is  to  hold  myself  in  such  a  position  that  I 
can  act  when  the  time  comes  to  act." 

Ealph  took  the  whole  matter  to  bed  with  him  in 
order  to  think  over  it.  He  did  a  great  deal  more 
sleeping  than  thinking,  but  in  the  morning  he  told 
Edna  he  believed  she  was  right. 

"But  one  thing  is  certain,"  he  said :  "even  if  that 
heathen  marriage  should  not  be  considered  legal,  it 
was  a  solemn  ceremony  of  engagement,  and  nobody 
can  deny  that.  It  was  something  like  a  caveat  which 
people  get  before  a  regular  patent  is  issued  for  an  in 
vention,  and  if  you  want  him  to  do  it,  he  should  stand 
up  and  do  it ;  but  if  you  don't,  that's  your  business. 
But  let  me  give  you  a  piece  of  advice  :  wherever  you 
go  and  whatever  you  do,  until  this  matter  is  settled, 
be  sure  to  carry  around  that  two-legged  marriage  cer 
tificate  called  Cheditafa.  He  can  speak  a  good  deal 
of  English  now,  if  there  should  be  any  dispute." 

"Dispute!"  cried  Edna,  indignantly.  "What  are 
you  thinking  of1?  Do  you  suppose  I  would  insist  or 
dispute  in  such  a  matter1?  I  thought  you  knew  me 
better  than  that." 

Ralph  sighed.  "If  you  could  understand  how 
dreadfully  hard  it  is  to  know  you,"  he  said,  "you 
wouldn't  be  so  severe  on  a  poor  fellow  if  he  happened 
to  make  a  mistake  now  and  then." 

253 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

When  Mrs.  Cliff  found  that  Edna  had  determined 
upon  her  course,  she  ceased  her  opposition,  and  tried, 
good  woman  as  she  was,  to  take  as  satisfactory  a  view 
of  the  matter  as  she  could  find  reason  for. 

"It  would  be  a  little  rough/'  she  said,  "if  your 
friends  were  to  meet  you  as  Mrs.  Horn,  and  you  would 
be  obliged  to  answer  questions.  I  have  had  experi 
ence  in  that  sort  of  thing.  And  looking  at  it  in  that 
light,  I  don't  know  but  what  you  are  right,  Edna,  in 
defending  yourself  against  questions  until  you  are 
justified  in  answering  them.  To  have  to  admit  that 
you  are  not  Mrs.  Horn  after  you  had  said  you  were, 
would  be  dreadful,  of  course.  But  the  other  would 
be  all  plain  sailing.  You  would  go  and  be  married 
properly,  and  that  would  be  the  end  of  it.  And  even 
if  you  were  obliged  to  assert  your  claims  as  his  widow, 
there  would  be  no  objection  to  saying  that  there  had 
been  reasons  for  not  announcing  the  marriage.  But 
there  is  another  thing.  How  are  you  going  to  explain 
your  prosperous  condition  to  your  friends'?  When  I 
was  in  Plainton,  I  thought  of  you  as  so  much  better 
off  than  myself  in  this  respect,  for  over  here  there 
would  be  no  one  to  pry  into  your  affairs.  I  did  not 
know  you  had  friends  in  Paris." 

"All  that  need  not  trouble  me  in  the  least,"  said 
Edna.  "When  I  went  to  school  with  Edith  Southall, 
who  is  now  Mrs.  Sylvester,  my  father  was  in  a  very 
good  business,  and  we  lived  handsomely.  It  was  not 
until  I  was  nearly  grown  up  that  he  failed  and  died, 
and  then  Ealph  and  I  went  to  Cincinnati,  and  my  life 
of  hard  work  began.  So  you  see  there  is  no  reason  why 
my  friends  in  Paris  should  ask  any  questions,  or  I 
should  make  explanations." 

254 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"I  wish  it  were  that  way  in  Plainton/'  said  Mrs. 
Cliff,  with  a  sigh.  "I  would  go  back  there  the 
moment  another  ship  started  from  France." 

So  it  was  Miss  Edna  Markham  of  New  York  who 
took  apartments  at  the  Hotel  Boileau,  and  it  was  she 
who  called  upon  the  wife  of  the  American  secretary 
of  legation. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

WAITING 

FOR  several  weeks  after  their  arrival,  the  members 
of  the  little  party  had  but  one  common  object,— to 
see  and  enjoy  the  wonders  and  beauties  of  Paris.— and 
in  their  sight-seeing  they  nearly  always  went  to 
gether,  sometimes  taking  Cheditafa  and  Mok  with 
them.  But  as  time  went  on,  their  different  disposi 
tions  began  to  assert  themselves,  and  in  their  daily 
pursuits  they  gradually  drifted  apart. 

Mrs.  Cliff  was  not  a  cultivated  woman,  but  she  had 
a  good,  common-sense  appreciation  of  art  in  its  various 
forms.  She  would  tramp  with  untiring  step  through 
the  galleries  of  the  Louvre,  but  when  she  had  seen  a 
gallery,  she  did  not  care  to  visit  it  again.  She  went 
to  the  theatre  and  the  opera  because  she  wanted  to 
see  how  they  acted  and  saug  in  France,  but  she  did 
not  wish  to  go  often  to  a  place  where  she  could  not 
understand  a  word  that  was  spoken. 

Ralph  was  now  under  the  charge  of  a  tutor,  Pro 
fessor  Barre  by  name,  who  took  a  great  interest  in 
this  American  boy,  whose  travels  and  experiences 
had  given  him  a  precocity  which  the  professor  had 
never  met  with  in  any  of  his  other  scholars.  Ralph 

256 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

would  have  much  preferred  to  study  Paris  instead 
of  books,  and  the  professor,  who  was  able  to  give 
a  great  deal  of  time  to  his  pupil,  did  not  altogether 
ignore  this  natural  instinct  of  a  youthful  heart.  In 
consequence,  the  two  became  very  good  friends,  and 
lialph  was  the  best-satisfied  member  of  the  party. 

It  was  in  regard  to  social  affairs  that  the  lives 
of  Edna  and  Mrs.  Cliff  diverged  most  frequently. 
Through  the  influence  of  Mrs.  Sylvester,  a  handsome 
woman  with  a  vivacious  intelligence  which  would 
have  made  her  conspicuous  in  any  society,  Edna 
found  that  social  engagements,  not  only  in  diplomatic 
circles  and  in  those  of  the  American  colony,  but,  to 
some  extent,  in  Parisian  society,  were  coming  upon 
her  much  more  rapidly  than  she  had  expected.  The 
secretary's  wife  was  proud  of  her  countrywoman,  and 
glad  to  bring  her  forward  in  social  functions.  Into 
this  new  life  Edna  entered  as  if  it  had  been  a  gallery 
she  had  not  yet  visited,  or  a  museum  which  she  saw 
for  the  first  time.  She  studied  it,  and  enj  oyed  the  study. 

But  only  in  a  limited  degree  did  Mrs.  Cliff  enjoy 
society  in  Paris.  To  be  sure,  it  was  only  in  a  limited 
degree  that  she  had  been  asked  to  do  it.  Even  with 
a  well-filled  purse  and  all  the  advantages  of  Paris  at 
her  command,  she  was  nothing  more  than  a  plain  and 
highly  respectable  woman  from  a  country  town  in 
Maine.  More  than  this  silks  and  velvets  could  not 
make  her,  and  more  than  this  she  did  not  wish  to  be. 
As  Edna's  friend  and  companion,  she  had  been  kindly 
received  at  the  legation,  but  after  attending  two  or 
three  large  gatherings,  she  concluded  that  she  would 
wait  until  her  return  to  Plainton  before  she  entered 
upon  any  further  social  exercises.  But  she  was  not 

257 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

at  all  dissatisfied  or  homesick.  She  preferred  Plainton 
to  all  places  in  the  world,  but  that  little  town  should 
not  see  her  again  until  she  could  exhibit  her  Cali- 
fornian  blankets  to  her  friends,  and  tell  them  where 
she  got  the  money  to  buy  them. 

"Blankets  ! "  she  said  to  herself.  "I  am  afraid  they 
will  hardly  notice  them  when  they  see  the  other 
things  I  shall  take  back  there." 

With  society,  especially  such  society  as  she  could 
not  enjoy,  Mrs.  Cliff  could  easily  dispense.  So  long 
as  the  shops  of  Paris  were  open  to  her,  the  delights  of 
these  wonderful  marts  satisfied  the  utmost  cravings  of 
her  heart ;  and  as  she  had  a  fine  mind  for  bargaining, 
and  plenty  of  time  on  her  hands,  she  was  gradually 
accumulating  a  well -chosen  stock  of  furnishings  and 
adornments,  not  only  for  her  present  house  in 
Plainton,  but  for  the  large  and  handsome  addition  to 
it  which  she  intended  to  build  on  an  adjoining  lot. 
These  schemes  for  establishing  herself  in  Plainton,  as 
a  wealthy  citizen,  did  not  depend  on  the  success  of 
Captain  Horn's  present  expedition.  What  Mrs.  Cliff 
already  possessed  was  a  fortune  sufficient  for  the  life 
she  desired  to  lead  in  her  native  town.  What  she 
was  waiting  for  was  the  privilege  of  going  back  and 
making  that  fortune  known.  As  to  the  increase  of 
her  fortune  she  had  but  small  belief.  If  it  should 
come,  she  might  change  her  plans,  but  the  claims  of 
the  native  Peruvians  should  not  be  forgotten.  Even 
if  the  present  period  of  secrecy  should  be  terminated 
by  the  news  of  the  non-success  of  Captain  Horn,  she 
intended  to  include,  among  her  expenses,  a  periodical 
remittance  to  some  charitable  association  in  Peru  for 
the  benefit  of  the  natives. 

258 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

The  Christmas  holidays  passed,  January  was  half 
gone,  and  Edna  had  received  no  news  from  Captain 
Horn.  She  had  hoped  that  before  leaving  South 
America  and  beginning  his  long  voyage  across  the 
Atlantic,  he  would  touch  at  some  port  from  which  he 
might  send  her  a  letter,  which,  coming  by  steamer, 
would  reach  her  before  she  could  expect  the  arrival  of 
the  brig.  But  no  letter  had  come.  She  had  arranged 
with  a  commercial  agency  to  telegraph  to  her  the 
moment  the  Miranda  should  arrive  in  any  French 
port,  but  no  message  had  come,  and  no  matter  what 
else  she  was  doing,  it  seemed  to  Edna  as  if  she  were 
always  expecting  such  a  message.  Sometimes  she 
thought  that  this  long  delay  must  mean  disaster,  and 
at  such  times  she  immediately  set  to  work  to  reason 
out  the  matter.  From  Acapulco  to  Cape  Horn,  up 
through  the  South  Atlantic  and  the  North  Atlantic 
to  France,  was  a  long  voyage  for  a  sailing-vessel,  and 
to  the  time  necessary  for  this  she  must  add  days,  and 
perhaps  weeks,  of  labor  at  the  caves,  besides  all  sorts 
of  delays  on  the  voyage.  Like  Kalph,  she  had  an 
unbounded  faith  in  the  captain.  He  might  not  bring 
her  one  bar  of  gold,  he  might  meet  with  all  sorts  of 
disasters,  but,  whenever  her  mind  was  in  a  healthy 
condition,  she  expected  him  to  come  to  France,  as  he 
had  said  he  would. 

She  now  began  to  feel  that  she  was  losing  a  great 
deal  of  time.  Paris  was  all  very  well,  but  it  was  not 
everything.  When  news  should  come  to  her,  it  might 
be  necessary  for  her  to  go  to  America.  She  could  not 
tell  what  would  be  necessary,  and  she  might  have  to 
leave  Europe  with  nothing  but  Paris  to  remember. 
There  was  no  good  objection  to  travel  on  the  Con- 

259 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

tinent,  for,  if  the  Miranda  should  arrive  while  she  was 
not  in  Paris,  she  would  not  be  so  far  away  that  a  tele- 
grain  could  not  quickly  bring  her  back.  So  she 
listened  to  Mrs.  Cliff  and  her  own  desires,  and  the 
party  journeyed  to  Italy,  by  the  way  of  Geneva  and 
Bern. 

Ralph  was  delighted  with  the  change,  for  Professor 
Barre,  his  tutor,  had  consented  to  go  with  them,  and, 
during  these  happy  days  in  Italy,  he  was  the  pre 
ceptor  of  the  whole  party.  They  went  to  but  few 
places  that  he  had  not  visited  before,  and  they  saw 
but  little  that  he  could  not  talk  about  to  their 
advantage.  But,  no  matter  what  they  did,  every  day 
Edna  expected  a  message,  and  every  day,  except 
Sunday,  she  went  to  the  banker's  to  look  over  the 
maritime  news  in  the  newspapers,  and  she  so  arranged 
her  affairs  that  she  could  start  for  France  at  an  hour's 
notice. 

But  although  Edna  had  greatly  enjoyed  the  Italian 
journey,  it  came  to  an  end  at  last,  and  it  was  with 
feelings  of  satisfaction  that  she  settled  down  again  iii 
Paris.  Here  she  was  in  the  centre  of  things,  ready 
for  news,  ready  for  arrivals,  ready  to  go  anywhere  or 
do  anything  that  might  be  necessary,  and,  more  than 
that,  there  was  a  delightful  consciousness  that  she  had 
seen  something  of  Switzerland  and  Italy,  and  without 
having  missed  a  telegram  by  being  away. 

The  party  did  not  return  to  the  Hotel  Boileau. 
Edna  now  had  a  much  better  idea  of  the  Continental 
menage  than  she  had  brought  with  her  from  America, 
and  she  believed  that  she  had  not  been  living  up  to 
the  standard  that  Captain  Horn  had  desired.  She 
wished  in  every  way  to  conform  to  his  requests,  and 

260 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

one  of  these  had  been  that  she  should  consider  the 
money  he  had  sent  her  as  income,  and  not  as  prop 
erty.  It  was  hard  for  her  to  fulfil  this  injunction, 
for  her  mind  was  as  practical  as  that  of  Mrs.  Cliff,  and 
she  could  not  help  considering  the  future,  and  the 
probability  of  never  receiving  an  addition  to  the 
funds  she  now  had  on  deposit  in  London  and  Paris. 
But  her  loyalty  to  the  man  who  had  put  her  into 
possession  of  that  money  was  superior  to  her  feelings 
of  prudence  and  thrift.  When  he  came  to  Paris,  he 
should  find  her  living  as  he  wanted  her  to  live.  It 
was  not  necessary  to  spend  all  she  had,  but,  whether 
he  came  back  poor  or  rich,  he  should  see  that  she  had 
believed  in  him  and  in  his  success. 

The  feeling  of  possible  disaster  had  almost  left  her. 
The  fears  that  had  come  to  her  had  caused  her  to 
reason  upon  the  matter,  and  the  more  she  reasoned, 
the  better  she  convinced  herself  that  a  long  period  of 
waiting  without  news  was  to  be  expected  in  the  case 
of  an  adventure  such  as  that  in  which  Captain  Horn 
was  engaged.  There  was,  perhaps,  another  reason  for 
her  present  state  of  mind— a  reason  which  she  did  not 
recognize  :  she  had  become  accustomed  to  waiting. 

It  was  at  a  grand  hotel  that  the  party  now  estab 
lished  themselves,  the  space,  the  plate-glass,  the  gilt, 
and  the  general  splendor  of  which  made  Ealph  ex 
claim  in  wonder  and  admiration. 

"You  would  better  look  out,  Edna,"  said  he,  "or  it 
will  not  be  long  before  we  find  ourselves  living  over 
in  the  Latin  Quarter,  and  taking  our  meals  at  a  res 
taurant  where  you  pay  a  sou  for  the  use  of  the.  nap 
kins/' 

Edna's  disposition  demanded  that  her  mode  of  life 
261 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

should  not  be  ostentatious,  but  she  conformed  in 
many  ways  to  the  style  of  her  hotel.  There  were 
returns  of  hospitality.  There  was  a  liveried  coachman 
when  they  drove.  There  was  a  general  freshening  of 
wardrobes,  and  even  Cheditafa  and  Mok  had  new 
clothes,  designed  by  an  artist  to  suit  their  positions. 

If  Captain  Horn  should  come  to  Paris,  he  should 
not  find  that  she  had  doubted  his  success,  or  him. 

After  the  return  from  Italy,  Mrs.  Cliff  began  to 
chafe  and  worry  under  her  restrictions.  She  had 
obtained  from  Europe  all  she  wanted  at  present,  and 
there  was  so  much  in  Plainton  she  was  missing.  Oh, 
if  she  could  only  go  there  and  avow  her  financial  con 
dition  !  She  lay  awake  at  night,  thinking  of  the 
opportunities  that  were  slipping  from  her.  From 
the  letters  that  Willy  Croup  wrote  her,  she  knew 
that  people  were  coming  to  the  front  in  Plainton  who 
ought  to  be  on  the  back  seats,  and  that  she,  who  could 
occupy,  if  she  chose,  the  best  place,  was  thought  of 
only  as  a  poor  widow  who  was  companion  to  a  lady 
who  was  travelling.  It  made  her  grind  her  teeth  to 
think  of  the  way  that  Miss  Shott  was  talking  of  her, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  she  made  up  her  mind  that 
she  ought  to  speak  to  Edna  on  the  subject,  and  she 
did  so. 

"Go  home!"  exclaimed  the  latter.  "Why,  Mrs. 
Cliff,  that  would  be  impossible  just  now.  You  could 
not  go  to  Plainton  without  letting  people  know  where 
you  got  your  money.- ' 

"Of  course  I  couldn't,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "and  I 
wouldn't.  There  have  been  times  when  I  have 
yearned  so  much  for  my  home  that  I  thought  it  might 
be  possible  for  me  to  go  there  and  say  that  the 

262 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Valparaiso  affair  had  turned  out  splendidly,  and  that 
was  how  I  got  my  money.  But  I  couldn't  do  it.  I 
could  not  stand  up  before  my  minister  and  offer  to 
refurnish  the  parsonage  parlor,  with  such  a  lie  as  that 
on  my  lips.  But  there  is  no  use  in  keeping  back  the 
real  truth  any  longer.  It  is  more  than  eight  months 
since  Captain  Horn  started  out  for  that  treasure,  and 
it  is  perfectly  reasonable  to  suppose  either  that  he 
has  got  it,  or  that  he  never  will  get  it,  and  in  either 
one  of  these  cases  it  will  not  do  any  injury  to  any 
body  if  we  let  people  know  about  the  money  we 
have,  and  where  it  came  from." 

"But  it  may  do  very  great  injury,"  said  Edna. 
"Captain  Horn  may  have  been  able  to  take  away 
only  a  part  of  it,  and  may  now  be  engaged  in  getting 
the  rest.  There  are  many  things  which  may  have 
happened,  and  if  we  should  now  speak  of  that  treas 
ure,  it  might  ruin  all  his  plans." 

"If  he  has  half  of  it,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "he  ought  to 
be  satisfied  with  that,  and  not  keep  us  here  on  pins 
and  needles  until  he  gets  the  rest.  Of  course,  I  do 
not  want  to  say  anything  that  would  pain  you,  Edna, 
and  I  won't  do  it,  but  people  can't  help  thinking,  and 
I  think  that  we  have  waited  as  long  as  our  consciences 
have  any  right  to  ask  us  to  wait." 

"I  know  what  you  mean,"  replied  Edna,  "but  it 
does  not  give  me  pain.  I  do  not  believe  that  Captain 
Horn  has  perished,  and  I  certainly  expect  soon  fa" 
hear  from  him." 

"You  have  been  expecting  that  a  long  time,"  said 
the  other. 

"Yes,  and  I  shall  expect  it  for  a  good  while  yeL 
I  have  made  up  my  mind  that  I  shall  not  give  up  mr 

263 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

belief  that  Captain  Horn  is  alive,  and  will  come  or 
write  to  us,  until  we  have  positive  news  of  his  death, 
or  until  one  year  has  passed  since  he  left  Acapulco. 
Considering  what  he  has  done  for  us,  Mrs.  Cliff,  I 
think  it  very  little  for  us  to  wait  one  year  before  we 
betray  the  trust  he  has  placed  in  us,  and,  merely  for 
the  sake  of  carrying  out  our  own  plans  a  little  sooner, 
utterly  ruin  the  plans  he  has  made,  and  which  he  in 
tends  as  much  for  our  benefit  as  for  his  own." 

Mrs.  Cliff  said  no  more,  but  she  thought  that  was 
all  very  well  for  Edna,  who  was  enjoying  herself  in  a 
way  that  suited  her,  but  it  was  very  different  for  her. 

In  her  heart  of  hearts,  Mrs.  Cliff  now  believed  they 
would  never  see  Captain  Horn  again.  "For  if  he 
were  alive,"  she  said  to  herself,  "he  would  certainly 
have  contrived  in  some  way  or  other  to  send  some 
sort  of  a  message.  "With  the  whole  world  covered 
with  post  routes  and  telegraph-wires,  it  would  be 
simply  impossible  for  Captain  Horn  and  those  two 
sailors  to  keep  absolutely  silent  and  unheard  of  for 
such  a  long  time— unless,"  she  continued,  hesitating 
even  in  her  thoughts,  "they  don't  want  to  be  heard 
from."  But  the  good  lady  would  not  allow  her  mind 
to  dwell  on  that  proposition  ;  it  was  too  dreadful ! 

And  so  Edna  waited  and  waited,  hoping  day  by 
day  for  good  news  from  Captain  Horn ;  and  so  Mrs. 
Cliff  waited  and  waited,  hoping  for  news  from  Captain 
Horn — good  news,  if  possible,  but  in  any  case  some 
thing  certain  and  definite,  something  that  would 
make  them  know  what  sort  of  life  they  were  to  lead 
in  this  world,  and  make  them  free  to  go  and  live  it. 


264 


CHAPTER  XXXII 
A  MARINER'S  WITS  TAKE  A  LITTLE  FLIGHT 

WHEN  Captain  Horn,  in  the  brig  Miranda,  with  the 
American  sailors  Burke  and  Shirley,  and  the  four 
negroes,  left  Acapulco  on  the  16th  of  September, 
he  might  have  been  said  to  have  sailed  "in  ballast," 
as  the  only  cargo  he  carried  was  a  large  number  of 
coffee -bags.  He  had  cleared  for  Rio  Janeiro,  at 
which  port  he  intended  to  touch  and  take  on  board  a 
small  cargo  of  coffee,  deeming  it  better  to  arrive  in 
France  with  something  more  than  the  auriferous 
mineral  matter  with  which  he  hoped  to  replace  a 
large  portion  of  discarded  ballast.  The  unusual 
cargo  of  empty  coffee-bags  was  looked  upon  by  the 
customs  officials  as  a  bit  of  Yankee  thrift,  it  being 
likely  enough  that  the  captain  could  obtain  coffee- 
bags  in  Mexico  much  cheaper  than  in  Rio  Janeiro. 

The  voyage  to  the  Peruvian  coast  was  a  slow  one, 
the  Miranda  proving  to  be  anything  but  a  clipper, 
and  the  winds  were  seldom  in  her  favor.  But  at  last 
she  rounded  Aguja  Point,  and  the  captain  shaped  his 
course  toward  the  coast  and  the  Rackbirds'  cove,  the 
exact  position  of  which  was  now  dotted  on  his  chart. 

A  little  after  noon  on  a  quiet  October  day,  they 

265 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

drew  near  enough  to  land  to  recognize  the  coast-line 
and  the  various  landmarks  of  the  locality.  The 
negroes  were  filled  with  surprise,  and  afterwards  with 
fright,  for  they  had  had  no  idea  that  they  were  going 
near  the  scene  of  their  former  horrible  captivity. 
From  time  to  time,  they  had  debated  among  them 
selves  the  intentions  of  Captain  Horn  in  regard  to 
them,  and  now  the  idea  seized  them  that  perhaps  he 
was  going  to  leave  them  where  he  had  found  them. 
But,  through  Maka,  who  at  first  was  as  much  fright 
ened  as  the  rest,  the  captain  succeeded  in  assuring 
them  that  he  was  merely  going  to  stop  as  near  as 
possible  to  the  cave  where  he  had  stayed  so  long,  to 
get  some  of  his  property  which  it  had  been  impossible 
to  take  away  when  the  rest  of  the  party  left.  Maka 
had  great  confidence  in  the  captain's  word,  and  he 
was  able  to  infuse  a  good  deal  of  this  into  the  minds 
of  the  three  other  negroes. 

Captain  Horn  had  been  in  considerable  doubt  in 
regard  to  the  best  method  of  shipping  the  treasure, 
should  he  be  so  fortunate  as  to  find  it  as  he  had  left 
it.  The  cove  was  a  quiet  harbor  in  which  the  small 
boats  could  easily  ply  between  the  vessel  and  the 
shore,  but,  in  this  case,  the  gold  must  be  carried  by 
tedious  journeys  along  the  beach.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  the  brig  lay  too  near  the  entrance  to  the 
caves,  the  treasure-laden  boats  must  be  launched 
through  the  surf,  and,  in  case  of  high  seas,  this 
operation  might  be  hazardous ;  consequently,  he 
determined  to  anchor  in  the  Backbir<l<t'  rove,  and 
submit  to  the  delay  and  inconvenience  of  the  laua 
transportation  of  the  gold. 

When  the  captain  and  Shirley  went  ashore  in  a 

266 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

boat,  nothing  was  seen  to  indicate  that  any  one  had 
visited  the  spot  since  the  last  cargo  of  guano  had  been 
shipped.  This  was  a  relief,  but  when  the  captain  had 
wandered  through  the  place,  and  even  examined  the 
storehouse  of  the  Kackbirds,  he  found,  to  his  regret, 
that  it  was  too  late  for  him  to  visit  the  caves  that  day. 
This  was  the  occasion  of  a  night  of  wakefulness  and 
unreasonable  anxiety— unreasonable,  as  the  captain 
assured  himself  over  and  over  again,  but  still 
impossible  to  dissipate.  No  man  who  has  spent 
weeks  in  pursuit  of  a  royal  treasure,  in  a  vessel  that 
at  times  seemed  hardly  to  creep,  could  fail  to  be 
anxious  and  excited  when  he  is  compelled  to  pause 
within  a  few  miles  of  that  treasure. 

But  early  in  the  morning  the  captain  started  for 
the  caves.  He  took  with  him  Shirley  and  Maka, 
leaving  the  brig  in  charge  of  Burke.  The  captain 
placed  great  confidence  in  Shirley,  who  was  a  quiet, 
steady  man.  In  fact,  he  trusted  every  one  on  the  ship, 
for  there  was  nothing  else  to  do.  If  any  of  them 
should  prove  false  to  him,  he  hoped  to  be  able  to 
defend  himself  against  them,  and  it  would  be  more 
than  foolish  to  trouble  his  mind  with  apprehensions 
until  there  should  be  some  reason  for  them.  But 
there  was  a  danger  to  be  considered,  quite  different 
from  the  criminal  cupidity  which  might  be  provoked 
by  companionship  with  the  heap  of  gold,  and  this 
was  the  spirit  of  angry  disappointment  which  might 
be  looked  for  should  no  heap  of  gold  be  found.  At 
the  moment  of  such  possible  disappointment,  the  cap 
tain  wanted  to  have  with  him  a  man  not  given  to 
suspicions  and  resentments. 

In  fact,  the  captain  thought,  as  the  little  party 
267 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

strode  along  the  beach,  that  if  he  should  find  the 
mound  empty,— and  he  could  not  drive  from  his  mind 
that  once  he  had  found  it  uncovered,— he  wished  to 
have  with  him  some  one  who  would  back  him  up 
a  little  in  case  he  should  lower  his  lantern  into  a 
goldless  void. 

As  they  walked  up  the  plateau  in  the  path  worn 
principally  by  his  own  feet,  and  the  captain  beheld 
the  great  stone  face  against  the  wall  of  rock,  his  mind 
became  quieter.  He  slackened  his  pace,  and  even 
began  to  concoct  some  suitable  remarks  to  make  to 
Shirley  in  case  of  evil  fortune. 

Shirley  looked  about  him  with  great  interest.  He 
had  left  the  place  before  the  great  stone  face  had 
been  revealed  by  the  burning  of  the  vines,  and  he 
would  have  been  glad  to  stop  for  a  minute  and  ex 
amine  it.  But  although  Captain  Horn  had  convinced 
himself  that  he  was  in  no  hurry,  he  could  not  allow 
delay.  Lighting  a  lantern,  they  went  through  the 
passageway  and  entered  the  great  cave  of  the  lake, 
leaving  Maka  rummaging  around  with  eager  delight 
through  the  rocky  apartments  where  he  had  once 
been  a  member  of  a  domestic  household. 

When  they  reached  the  mound,  the  captain  handed 
his  lantern  to  Shirley,  telling  him  to  hold  it  high,  and 
quickly  clambered  to  the  top. 

"Good!"  he  exclaimed.  "The  lid  is  just  as  I  left 
it.  Come  up  ! " 

In  a  moment  Shirley  was  at  his  side,  and  the  cap 
tain  with  his  pocket-knife  began  to  pick  out  the 
oakum  which  he  had  packed  around  the  edges  of  the 
lid,  for  otherwise  it  would  have  been  impossible  for 

268 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Irirn.  to  move  it.  Then  lie  stood  up  and  raised  the  lid, 
putting  it  to  one  side. 

"Give  me  the  lantern !"  he  shouted,  and,  stooping, 
he  lowered  it  and  looked  in.  The  gold  in  the  mound 
was  exactly  as  he  had  left  it. 

"Hurrah ! "  he  cried.  "Now  you  take  a  look  ! " 
And  he  handed  the  lantern  to  his  companion. 

Shirley  crawled  a  little  nearer  the  opening  and 
looked  into  it,  then  lowered  the  lantern  and  put  his 
head  down  so  that  it  almost  disappeared.  He  re 
mained  in  this  position  for  nearly  a  minute,  and  the 
captain  gazed  at  him  with  a  beaming  face.  His 
whole  system,  relieved  from  the  straining  bonds  of 
doubt  and  fear  and  hope,  was  basking  in  a  flood 
of  ecstatic  content. 

Suddenly  Shirley  began  to  swear.  He  was  not  a 
profane  man,  and  seldom  swore,  but  now  the  oaths 
rolled  from  him  in  a  manner  that  startled  the  cap 
tain. 

"Get  up,"  said  he.    "Haven't  you  seen  enough? " 

Shirley  raised  his  head,  but  still  kept  his  eyes  on 
the  treasure  beneath  him,  and  swore  worse  than  before. 
The  captain  was  shocked. 

"What  is  the  matter  with  you?"  said  he.  "Give 
me  the  lantern.  I  don't  see  anything  to  swear  at." 

Shirley  did  not  hand  him  the  lantern,  but  the  cap 
tain  took  it  from  him,  and  then  he  saw  that  the  man 
was  very  pale. 

"Look  out!"  he  cried.  "You'll  slip  down  and 
break  your  bones." 

In  fact,  Shirley's  strength  seemed  to  have  forsaken 
him,  and  he  was  on  the  point  of  either  slipping  down 

269 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  side  of  the  mound  or  tumbling  into  the  open 
cavity.  The  captain  put  down  the  lantern  and 
moved  quickly  to  his  side,  and,  with  some  difficulty, 
managed  to  get  him  safely  to  the  ground.  He  seated 
him  with  his  back  against  the  mound,  and  then,  while 
he  was  unscrewing  the  top  of  a  whiskey  flask,  Shirley 
began  to  swear  again  in  a  most  violent  and  rapid 
way.  • 

"He  has  gone  mad,"  thought  the  captain.  "The 
sight  of  all  that  gold  has  crazed  him." 

"Stop  that,"  he  said  to  the  other,  "and  take  a 
drink." 

Shirley  broke  off  a  string  of  oaths  in  the  middle, 
and  took  a  pull  at  the  flask.  This  was  of  service  to 
him,  for  he  sat  quiet  for  a  minute  or  two,  during 
which  time  the  captain  brought  down  the  lantern. 
Looking  up  at  him,  Shirley  said  in  a  weak  voice  : 

"Captain,  is  what  I  saw  all  so? " 

"Yes,"  was  the  reply,  "it's  all  so." 

"Then,"  said  the  other,  "help  me  out  of  this.  I 
want  to  get  out  into  common  air." 

The  captain  raised  Shirley  to  his  feet,  and,  with  the 
lantern  in  one  hand,  he  assisted  him  to  walk.  But  it 
was  not  easy.  The  man  appeared  to  take  no  interest 
in  his  movements,  and  staggered  and  leaned  upon  the 
captain  as  if  he  were  drunk. 

As  soon  as  they  came  out  of  the  utter  darkness  and 
had  reached  the  lighter  part  of  the  cave,  the  captain 
let  Shirley  sit  down,  and  went  for  Maka. 

"The  first  mate  has  been  taken  sick,"  said  he  to  the 
negro,  "and  you  must  come  help  me  get  him  out  into 
the  open  air." 

When  the  negro  saw  Shirley  in  a  state  of  semi- 
270 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

collapse,  he  began  to  tremble  from  head  to  foot,  but 
he  obeyed  orders,  and,  with  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  the 
two  got  the  sailor  outside  of  the  caves  and  gave  him 
another  drink  of  whiskey. 

Maka  had  his  own  ideas  about  this  affair.  There 
was  no  use  telling  him  Mr.  Shirley  was  sick— at  least, 
that  he  was  afflicted  by  any  common  ailment.  He 
and  his  fellows  knew  very  well  that  there  were  devils 
back  in  the  blackness  of  that  cave,  and  if  the  captain 
did  not  mind  them,  it  was  because  they  were  taking 
care  of  the  property,  whatever  it  was,  that  he  kept 
back  here,  and  for  which  he  had  now  returned. 
With  what  that  property  was,  and  how  it  happened 
to  be  there,  the  mind  of  the  negro  did  not  concern 
itself.  Of  course,  it  must  be  valuable,  or  the  captain 
would  not  have  come  to  get  it,  but  that  was  his 
business.  He  had  taken  the  first  mate  into  that 
darkness,  and  the  sight  of  the  devils  had  nearly  killed 
him,  and  now  the  negro's  mind  was  filled  with  but 
one  idea,  and  that  was  that  the  captain  might  take 
him  in  there  and  make  him  see  devils. 

After  a  time  Shirley  felt  very  much  better,  and  able 
to  walk. 

"Now,  captain,"  said  he,  "I  am  all  right,  but  I  tell 
you  what  we  must  do  :  I'll  go  to  the  ship,  and  I'll  take 
charge  of  her,  and  I'll  do  whatever  has  got  to  be  done 
on  shore.  Yes,  and,  what's  more,  I'll  help  do  the 
carrying  part  of  the  business, — it  would  be  mean  to 
sneak  out  of  that,— and  I'll  shoulder  any  sort  of  a 
load  that's  put  out  on  the  sand  in  the  daylight.  But, 
captain,  I  don't  want  to  do  anything  to  make  me 
look  into  that  hole.  I  can't  stand  it,  and  that  is  the 
long  and  short  of  it.  I  am  sorry  that  Maka  saw  me  in 

271 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

such  a  plight— it's  bad  for  discipline  ;  but  it  can't  be 
helped." 

"Never  mind,"  cried  the  captain,  whose  high 
spirits  would  have  overlooked  almost  anything  at 
that  moment.  "Come,  let  us  go  back  and  have  our 
breakfast.  That  will  set  you  up,  and  I  won't  ask  you 
to  go  into  the  caves  again,  if  you  don't  want  to." 

"Don't  let's  talk  about  it,"  said  Shirley,  setting  off. 
"I'd  rather  get  my  mind  down  to  marlin-spikes  and 
bilge-water." 

As  the  captain  walked  back  to  the  cove,  he  said  to 
himself : 

"I  expect  it  struck  Shirley  harder  than  it  did  the 
rest  of  us  because  he  knew  what  he  was  looking  at,  and 
the  first  time  we  saw  it  we  were  not  sure  it  was  gold, 
as  it  might  have  been  brass.  But  Shirley  knew,  for  he 
had  already  had  a  lot  of  those  bars,  and  had  turned 
them  into  money.  By  George  !  I  don't  wonder  that  a 
poor  fellow  who  had  struggled  for  life  with  a  small 
bag  of  that  gold  was  knocked  over  when  he  saw  a 
wagon-load  of  it." 

Maka,  closely  following  the  others,  had  listened 
with  eagerness  to  what  had  been  said,  and  had  been 
struck  with  additional  horror  when  he  heard  Shirley 
request  that  he  might  not  again  be  asked  to  look  into 
that  hole.  Suddenly  the  captain  and  Shirley  were 
startled  by  a  deep  groan  behind  them,  and,  turning, 
saw  the  negro  sitting  upon  the  sand,  his  knees  drawn 
up  to  his  face,  and  groaning  grievously. 

"What's  the  matter1?"  cried  the  captain. 

"I  sick,"  said  Maka.     "Sick  same  as  Mr.  Shirley." 

"Get  up  and  come  along,"  said  the  captain, laughing. 
He  saw  that  something  was  really  ailing  the  black 

272 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

fellow,  for  he  trembled  from  head  to  foot,  and  his  face 
had  the  hue  of  a  black  horse  recently  clipped.  But 
he  thought  it  best  not  to  treat  the  matter  seriously. 
"Come  along,"  said  he.  "I  am  not  going  to  give 
you  any  whiskey."  And  then,  struck  by  a  sudden 
thought,  he  asked,  "Are  you  afraid  that  you  have  got 
to  go  into  that  cave  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Maka,  who  had  risen  to  his  feet. 
"It  make  me  pretty  near  die  dead  to  think  that." 

"Well,  don't  die  any  more,"  said  the  captain. 
"You  sha'n't  go  anywhere  that  you  have  not  been 
before." 

The  pupils  of  Maka's  eyes,  which  had  been  turned 
up  nearly  out  of  sight,  were  now  lowered.  "All 
right,  cap'n,"  said  he.  "I  lot  better  now." 

This  little  incident  was  not  unpleasant  to  the  cap 
tain.  If  the  negroes  were  afraid  to  go  into  the  black 
ness  of  the  caves,  it  would  make  fewer  complications 
in  this  matter. 


278 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 
THE  "MIRANDA"  TAKES  IN  CARGO 

THE  next  day  the  work  of  removing  the  treasure 
from  the  caves  to  the  vessel  began  in  good  earnest. 
The  Miranda  was  anchored  not  far  from  the  little 
pier,  which  was  found  in  good  order,  and  Shirley, 
with  one  negro,  was  left  on  board,  while  the  captain 
and  Burke  took  the  three  others,  loaded  with  coffee- 
bags,  to  the  caves. 

For  the  benefit  of  the  minds  of  the  black  men,  the 
captain  had  instructed  Maka  to  assure  them  that  they 
would  not  be  obliged  to  go  anywhere  where  it  was 
really  dark.  But  it  was  difficult  to  decide  how  to 
talk  to  Burke.  This  man  was  quite  different  from 
Shirley.  He  was  smaller,  but  stout  and  strong,  with 
a  dark  complexion,  and  rather  given  to  talk.  The 
captain  liked  him  well  enough,  his  principal  objection 
to  him  being  that  he  was  rather  too  willing  to  give 
advice.  But,  whatever  might  be  the  effect  of  the 
treasure  on  Burke,  the  captain  determined  that  he 
should  not  be  surprised  by  it.  He  had  tried  that  on 
Shirley,  and  did  not  want  to  try  it  again  on  anybody. 
So  he  conversed  freely  about  the  treasure  and  the 
mound,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  described  its  appearance 

2V4 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

and  contents.  But  he  need  not  have  troubled  himself 
about  the  effect  of  the  sight  of  a  wagon-load  of  gold 
upon  Burke's  mind.  He  was  glad  to  see  it,  and 
whistled  cheerfully  as  he  looked  down  into  the 
mound. 

"How  far  do  you  think  it  goes  down!"  said  he  to 
the  captain. 

"Don't  know,"  was  the  reply.  "We  can't  tell  any 
thing  about  that  until  we  get  it  out." 

"All  right,"  said  Burke.  "The  quicker  we  do  it, 
the  better." 

The  captain  got  into  the  mound  with  a  lantern,  for 
the  gold  was  now  too  low  for  him  to  reach  it  from 
above,  and  having  put  as  many  bars  into  a  coffee-bag 
as  a  man  could  carry,  he  passed  it  up  to  Burke,  who 
slid  it  down  to  the  floor,  where  another  lantern  had 
been  left.  When  five  bags  had  been  made  ready,  the 
captain  came  out,  and  he  and  Burke  put  each  bag  into 
another,  and  these  were  tied  up  firmly  at  each  end, 
for  a  single  coffee-bag  was  not  considered  strong 
enough  to  hold  the  weighty  treasure.  Then  the  two 
carried  the  bags  into  the  part  of  the  cave  which  was 
lighted  by  the  great  fissure,  and  called  the  negroes. 
Then,  each  taking  a  bag  on  his  shoulder,  the  party 
returned  to  the  cove.  On  the  next  trip,  Shirley  de 
cided  to  go  with  the  captain,  for  he  said  he  did  not 
care  for  anything  if  he  did  not  have  to  look  down  into 
the  mound,  for  that  was  sure  to  make  him  dizzy. 
Maka's  place  was  taken  by  the  negro  who  had  been 
previously  left  in  the  vessel.  Day  by  day  the  work 
went  on,  but  whoever  might  be  relieved,  and  whatever 
arrangements  might  be  made,  the  captain  always  got 
into  the  mound  and  handed  out  the  gold.  Whatever 

275 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

discovery  should  be  made  when  the  bottom  of  the  de 
posit  was  reached,  he  wanted  to  be  there  to  make  it. 

The  operations  were  conducted  openly,  and  without 
any  attempt  at  secrecy  or  concealment.  The  lid  of 
the  mound  was  not  replaced  when  they  left  it,  and 
the  bags  of  gold  were  laid  on  the  pier  until  it  was 
convenient  to  take  them  to  the  vessel.  When  they 
were  put  on  board,  they  were  lowered  into  the  hold, 
and  took  the  place  of  a  proportionate  amount  of  bal 
last,  which  was  thrown  out. 

All  the  negroes  now  spoke  and  understood  a  little 
English.  They  might  think  that  those  bags  were 
filled  with  gold,  or  they  might  think  that  they  con 
tained  a  mineral  substance,  useful  for  fertilizer ;  but 
if  by  questioning  or  by  accidental  information  they 
found  out  what  was  the  load  under  which  they  toiled 
along  the  beach,  the  captain  was  content.  There  was 
no  reason  why  he  should  fear  these  men  more  than  he 
feared  Burke  and  Shirley.  All  of  them  were  necessary 
to  him,  and  he  must  trust  them.  Several  times  when 
he  was  crouched  down  in  the  interior  of  the  mound, 
filling  a  bag  with  gold,  he  thought  how  easy  it  would 
be  for  one  of  the  sailors  to  shoot  him  from  above,  and 
for  them,  or  perhaps  only  one  of  them,  to  become  the 
owner  of  all  that  treasure.  But  then,  he  could  be  shot 
in  one  place  almost  as  well  as  in  another,  and  if  the 
negroes  should  be  seized  with  the  gold  fever,  and  try 
to  cut  white  throats  at  midnight,  they  would  be  more 
likely  to  attempt  it  after  the  treasure  had  been  se 
cured  and  the  ship  had  sailed  than  now.  In  any  case, 
nothing  could  be  gained  by  making  them  feel  that 
they  were  suspected  and  distrusted.  Therefore  it 
was  that  when,  one  day,  Maka  said  to  the  captain  that 

276 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  little  stones  in  the  bags  had  begun  to  make  his 
shoulder  tender,  the  captain  showed  him  how  to  fold 
an  empty  sack  and  put  it  between  the  bags  and  his 
back,  and  then  also  told  him  that  what  he  carried  was 
not  stones,  but  lumps  of  gold. 

"All  yourn,  cap'nf"  asked  Maka. 

"Yes,  all  mine,"  was  the  reply. 

That  night  Maka  told  his  comrades  that  when  the 
captain  got  to  the  end  of  this  voyage,  he  would  be 
able  to  buy  a  ship  bigger  than  the  Castor,  and  that 
they  would  not  have  to  sail  in  that  little  brig  any 
more,  and  that  he  expected  to  be  cook  on  the  new 
vessel,  and  have  a  fine  suit  of  clothes  in  which  to  go 
on  shore. 

For  nearly  a  month  the  work  went  on,  but  the  con 
tents  of  the  mound  diminished  so  slowly  that  the  cap 
tain,  and,  in  fact,  the  two  sailors,  also,  became  very 
impatient.  Only  about  forty  pounds  could  be  carried 
by  each  man  on  a  trip,  and  the  captain  saw  plainly 
that  it  would  not  do  to  urge  greater  rapidity  or  more 
frequent  trips,  for  in  that  case  there  would  be  sure  to 
be  breakdowns.  The  walk  from  the  cove  to  the  caves 
was  a  long  one,  and  rocky  barriers  had  to  be  climbed, 
and  although  now  but  one  man  was  left  on  board  the 
vessel,  only  thirty  bags  a  day  were  stored  in  its  hold. 
This  was  very  slow  work.  Consultations  were  held, 
and  it  was  determined  that  some  quicker  method  of 
transportation  must  be  adopted.  The  idea  that  they 
could  be  satisfied  with  what  they  already  had  seemed 
to  enter  the  mind  of  none  of  them.  It  was  a  foregone 
conclusion  that  their  business  there  was  to  carry  away 
all  the  gold  that  was  in  the  mound. 

A  new  plan?  though  rather  a  dangerous  one,  was 
277 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

now  put  into  operation.  The  brig  was  brought  around 
opposite  the  plateau  which  led  to  the  caves,  and  an 
chored  just  outside  the  line  of  surf;  where  bottom  was 
found  at  a  moderate  depth.  Then  the  bags  were  car 
ried  in  the  boats  to  the  vessel.  A  line  connected  each 
boat  with  the  ship,  and  the  negroes  were  half  the 
time  in  the  water,  assisting  the  boats  backward  and 
forward  through  the  surf.  Now  work  went  on  very 
much  more  rapidly.  The  men  had  all  become  accus 
tomed  to  carrying  the  heavy  bags,  and  could  run  with 
them  down  the  plateau.  The  boats  were  hauled  to  and 
from  the  vessel,  and  the  bags  were  hoisted  on  board 
by  means  of  blocks  and  tackle  and  a  big  basket.  Once 
the  side  of  the  basket  gave  way,  and  several  bags  went 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  never  to  be  seen  again. 
But  there  was  no  use  in  crying  over  spilt  gold,  and 
this  was  the  only  accident. 

The  winds  were  generally  from  the  south  and  east, 
and,  therefore,  there  was  no  high  surf;  and  this  new 
method  of  working  was  so  satisfactory  that  they  all 
regretted  they  had  not  adopted  it  from  the  first,  not 
withstanding  the  risk.  But  the  captain  had  had  no 
idea  that  it  would  take  so  long  for  five  men  to  carry 
that  treasure  a  distance  of  two  miles,  taking  forty 
pounds  at  a  time. 

At  night  everybody  went  on  board  the  brig,  and 
she  lay  to  some  distance  from  the  shore,  so  as  to  be 
able  to  run  out  to  sea  in  case  of  bad  weather,  but  no 
such  weather  came. 

It  was  two  months  since  the  brig  had  dropped  an 
chor  in  the  Blackbirds'  cove  when  the  contents  of  the 
mound  got  so  low  that  the  captain  could  not  hand  up 
the  bags  without  the  assistance  of  a  ladder,  which  he 

278 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

made  from  some  stuff  on  board  the  brig.  By  rough 
measurement,  he  found  that  he  should  now  be  near 
the  level  of  the  outside  floor  of  the  cave,  and  he 
worked  with  great  caution,  for  the  idea,  first  broached 
by  Kalph,  that  this  mass  of  gold  might  cover  some 
thing  more  valuable  than  itself,  had  never  left  him. 

But  as  he  worked  steadily,  filling  bag  after  bag,  he 
found  that,  although  he  had  reached  at  the  outer  edge 
of  the  floor  of  the  mound  what  seemed  to  be  a  pave 
ment  of  stone,  there  was  still  a  considerable  depth  of 
gold  in  the  centre  of  the  floor.  Now  he  worked  faster, 
telling  Shirley,  who  was  outside,  that  he  would  not 
come  out  until  he  had  reached  the  floor  of  the  mound, 
which  was  evidently  depressed  in  the  centre  after  the 
fashion  of  a  saucer.  Working  with  feverish  haste, 
the  captain  handed  up  bag  after  bag,  until  every 
little  bar  of  gold  had  been  removed  from  the  mound. 

The  bottom  of  the  floor  was  covered  with  a  fine 
dust,  which  had  sifted  down  in  the  course  of  ages  from 
the  inside  coating  of  the  mound,  but  it  was  not  deep 
enough  to  conceal  a  bar  of  gold,  and,  with  his  lantern 
and  his  foot,  the  captain  made  himself  sure  that  not  a 
piece  was  left.  Then  his  whole  soul  and  body  thrilled 
with  a  wild  purpose,  and,  moving  the  ladder  from  the 
centre  of  the  floor,  he  stooped  to  brush  away  the  dust. 
If  there  should  be  a  movable  stone  there !  If  this 
stone  should  cover  a  smaller  cavity  beneath  the  great 
one,  what  might  he  not  discover  within  it1?  His  mind 
whirled  before  the  ideas  which  now  cast  themselves  at 
him,  when  suddenly  he  stood  up  and  set  his  teeth  hard 
together. 

"I  will  not,"  he  said.  "I  will  not  look  for  a  stone 
with  a  crack  abound  it-  We  have  enough  already. 

279 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Why  should  we  run  the  risk  of  going  crazy  by  trying 
to  get  more  ?  I  will  not ! "  And  he  replaced  the 
ladder. 

"What's  the  matter  in  there?"  called  Shirley,  from 
outside.  "Who' re  you  talking  to?" 

The  captain  came  out  of  the  opening  in  the  mound, 
pulled  up  the  ladder  and  handed  it  to  Shirley,  and 
then  he  was  about  to  replace  the  lid  upon  the  mound. 
But  what  was  the  use  of  doing  that,  he  thought.  There 
would  be  no  sense  in  closing  it.  He  would  leave  it 
open. 

"I  was  talking  to  myself,"  he  said  to  Shirley,  when 
he  had  descended.  "It  sounded  crack-brained,  I  ex 
pect." 

"Yes,  it  did,"  answered  the  othero  "And  I  am 
glad  these  are  the  last  bags  we  have  to  tie  up  and 
take  out.  I  should  not  have  wondered  if  the  whole 
three  of  us  had  turned  into  lunatics.  As  for  me,  I 
have  tried  hard  to  stop  thinking  about  the  business, 
and  I  have  found  that  the  best  thing  I  could  do  was 
to  try  and  consider  the  stuff  in  these  bags  as  coal— 
good,  clean,  anthracite  coal.  Whenever  I  carried  a 
bag,  I  said  to  myself,  '  Hurry  up,  now,  with  this  bag 
of  coal.'  A  ship-load  of  coal,  you  know,  is  not  worth 
enough  to  turn  a  man's  head." 

"That  was  not  a  bad  idea,"  said  the  captain.  "But 
now  the  work  is  done,  and  we  will  soon  get  used  to 
thinking  of  it  without  being  excited  about  it.  There 
is  absolutely  no  reason  why  we  should  not  be  as  happy 
and  contented  as  if  we  had  each  made  a  couple  of 
thousand  dollars  apiece  on  a  good  voyage." 

"That's  so,"  said  Shirley,  "and  I'm  going  to  try  to 
think  it." 

280 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

"When  the  last  bag  had  been  put  on  board,  Burke 
and  the  captain  were  walking  about  the  caves  looking 
here  and  there  to  take  a  final  leave  of  the  place. 
Whatever  the  captain  considered  of  value  as  a  me 
mento  of  the  life  they  had  led  here  had  been  put  on 
board. 

"Captain,"  said  Burke,  "did  you  take  all  the  gold 
out  of  that  mound  ?  " 

"Every  bit  of  it,"  was  the  reply. 

"You  didn't  leave  a  single  lump  for  manners'? " 

"No,"  said  the  captain.  "I  thought  it  better  that 
whoever  discovered  that  empty  mound  after  us  should 
not  know  what  had  been  in  it.  You  see,  we  will  have 
to  circulate  these  bars  of  gold  pretty  extensively,  and 
we  don't  want  anybody  to  trace  them  back  to  the 
place  where  they  came  from.  When  the  time  comes, 
we  will  make  everything  plain  and  clear,  but  we  will 
want  to  do  it  ourselves,  and  in  our  own  way.'? 

"There  is  sense  in  that,"  said  Burke.  "There's  an 
other  thing  I  want  to  ask  you,  captain.  I've  been 
thinking  a  great  deal  about  that  mound,  and  it  strikes 
me  that  there  might  be  a  sub-cellar  under  it,  a  little 
one,  most  likely,  with  something  else  in  it— rings  and 
jewels,  and  nobody  knows  what  not.  Did  you  see  if 
there  was  any  sign  of  a  trap-door  ?  " 

"E"o,"  said  the  captain,  "I  did  not.  I  wanted  to  do 
it,— you  do  not  know  how  much, — but  I  made  up  my 
mind  it  would  be  the  worst  kind  of  folly  to  try  and 
get  anything  else  out  of  that  mound.  We  have  now 
all  that  is  good  for  us  to  have.  The  only  question  is 
whether  or  not  we  have  not  more  than  is  good  for  us. 
I  was  not  sure  that  I  should  not  find  something,  if  I 
looked  for  it,  which  would  make  me  as  sick  as  Shirley 

281 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

was  the  first  time  he  looked  into  the  mound.  No, 
sir ;  we  have  enough,  and  it  is  the  part  of  sensible 
men  to  stop  when  they  have  enough." 

Burke  shook  his  head.  "If  I'd  been  there,"  he 
said,  "I  should  have  looked  for  a  crack  in  that  floor." 

"When  the  brig  weighed  anchor,  she  did  not  set  out 
for  the  open  sea,  but  proceeded  back  to  the  Eackbirds' 
cove,  where  she  anchored  again.  Before  setting  out, 
the  next  day,  on  his  voyage  to  France,  the  captain 
wished  to  take  on  board  a  supply  of  fresh  water. 


282 


BURKE  AND  HIS   CHISEL 

THAT  night  George  Burke  went  off  his  watch  at 
twelve  o'clock,  and  a  few  minutes  after  he  had  been 
relieved,  he  did  something  he  had  never  done  before 
— he  deserted  his  ship.  With  his  shoes  and  a  little 
bundle  of  clothes  on  his  head,  he  very  quietly  slipped 
down  a  line  he  had  fastened  astern.  It  was  a  very 
dark  night,  and  he  reached  the  water  unseen,  and  as 
quietly  as  if  he  had  been  an  otter  going  fishing.  First 
swimming,  and  then  wading,  he  reached  the  shore. 
As  soon  as  he  was  on  land,  he  dressed,  and  then  went 
for  a  lantern,  a  hammer,  and  a  cold-chisel,  which  he 
had  left  at  a  convenient  spot. 

Without  lighting  the  lantern,  he  proceeded  as  rap 
idly  as  possible  to  the  caves.  His  path  was  almost 
invisible,  but  having  travelled  that  way  so  often,  he 
knew  it  as  well  as  he  knew  his  alphabet.  Not  until 
he  was  inside  the  entrance  to  the  caves  did  he  light 
his  lantern.  Then  he  proceeded,  without  loss  of  time, 
to  the  stone  mound.  He  knew  that  the  ladder  had 
been  left  there,  and,  with  a  little  trouble,  he  found  it, 
where  Shirley  had  put  it,  behind  some  rocks  on  the 
floor  of  the  cave.  By  the  aid  of  this  he  quickly  de- 

283 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

scended  into  the  mound,  and  then,  moving  the  foot  of 
the  ladder  out  of  the  way,  he  vigorously  began  to 
brush  away  the  dust  from  the  stone  pavement.  When 
this  was  done,  he  held  up  the  lantern  and  carefully 
examined  the  central  portion  of  the  floor,  and  very 
soon  he  discovered  what  he  had  come  to  look  for.  A  • 
space  about  three  feet  square  was  marked  off  on  the 
pavement  of  the  mound  by  a  very  perceptible  crevice. 
The  other  stones  of  the  pavement  were  placed  rather 
irregularly,  but  some  of  them  had  been  cut  to  allow 
this  single  square  stone  to  be  set  in  the  centre. 

"That's  a  trap-door,"  said  Burke.  "There  can't  be 
any  doubt  about  that."  And  immediately  he  set  to 
work  to  get  it  open. 

There  was  no  ring,  nor  anything  by  which  he  could 
lift  it ;  but  if  he  could  get  his  heavy  chisel  under  it, 
he  was  sure  he  could  raise  it  until  he  could  get  hold 
of  it  with  his  hands.  So  he  began  to  drive  his  chisel 
vigorously  down  into  the  cracks  at  various  places. 
This  was  not  difficult  to  do,  and,  trying  one  side  after 
another,  he  got  the  chisel  down  so  far  that  he  could 
use  it  as  a  lever.  But  with  all  his  strength  he  could 
not  raise  the  stone. 

At  last,  while  working  at  one  corner,  he  broke  out 
a  large  piece  of  the  pavement,  eight  or  nine  inches 
long,  and  found  that  it  had  covered  a  metal  bar  about 
an  inch  in  diameter.  With  his  lantern  he  carefully 
examined  this  rod,  and  found  that  it  was  not  iron, 
but  appeared  to  be  made  of  some  sort  of  bronze. 

"Now,  what  is  this?"  said  Burke  to  himself.  "It^ 
either  a  hinge  or  a  bolt.  It  doesn't  look  like  a  hinge, 
for  it  wouldn't  be  any  use  for  it  to  run  so  far  into  the 
rest  of  the  pavement,  and  if  it  is  a  bolt,  I  don't  se*» 

284 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

how  they  got  at  it  to  move  it.  I'll  see  where  it  goes 
to."  And  he  began  to  cut  away  more  of  the  pave 
ment  toward  the  wall  of  the  dome.  The  pieces  of 
stone  came  up  without  much  trouble,  and  as  far  as  he 
cut  he  found  the  metal  rod. 

"By  George  ! "  said  he,  "I  believe  it  goes  outside  of 
the  mound  !  They  worked  it  from  outside  ! " 

Putting  the  ladder  in  place,  he  ran  up  with  his  lan 
tern  and  tools,  and  descended  to  the  outside  floor. 
Then  he  examined  the  floor  of  the  cave  where  the 
rod  must  run  if  it  came  outside  the  mound.  He  found 
a  line  of  flat  stones,  each  about  a  foot  square,  extend 
ing  from  the  mound  toward  the  western  side  of  the 
cave. 

"Oh,  ho  ! "  he  cried,  and  on  his  knees  he  went  to 
work,  soon  forcing  up  one  of  these  stones,  and 
under  it  was  the  metal  rod,  lying  in  a  groove  consid 
erably  larger  than  itself.  Burke  now  followed  the 
line  of  stones  to  the  western  side  of  the  cave,  where 
the  roof  was  so  low  he  could  scarcely  stand  up  under 
it.  To  make  sure,  he  took  up  another  stone,  and  still 
found  the  rod. 

"I  see  what  this  means,"  said  he.  "That  bolt  is 
worked  from  clean  outside,  and  I've  got  to  find  the 
handle  of  it.  If  I  can't  do  that,  I'll  go  back  and  cut 
through  that  bolt,  if  my  chisel  will  do  it." 

He  now  went  back  to  a  point  on  the  line  of  stones 
about  midway  between  the  side  of  the  cave  and  the 
mound,  and  then,  walking  forward  as  nearly  as  possi 
ble  in  a  straight  line,  which  would  be  at  right  angles 
with  the  metal  rod,  he  proceeded  until  he  had  reached 
the  entrance  to  the  passageway  which  led  to  the 
outer  caves,  carefully  counting  his  steps  as  he  went. 

285 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

Then  he  turned  squarely  about,  entered  the  passage, 
and  walked  along  it  until  he  came  to  the  door  of  the 
room  which  had  once  been  occupied  by  Captain  Horn. 

"I'll  try  it  inside  first,"  said  Burke  to  himself,  "and 
then  I'll  go  outside." 

He  walked  through  the  rooms,  turning  to  the  right 
about  ten  feet  when  he  came  to  the  middle  apart 
ment,— for  the  door  here  was  not  opposite  to  the 
others,— but  coming  back  again  to  his  line  of  march 
as  soon  as  he  was  on  the  other  side.  He  proceeded 
until  he  reached  the  large  cave,  open  at  the  top, 
which  was  the  last  of  these  compartments.  This  was 
an  extensive  cavern,  the  back  part  being,  however,  so 
much  impeded  by  rocks  that  had  fallen  from  the  roof 
that  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  make  any  progress,  and 
the  numbering  of  his  steps  depended  very  much  upon 
calculation.  But  when  he  reached  the  farthest  wall, 
Burke  believed  that  he  had  gone  about  as  great  a  dis 
tance  as  he  had  stepped  off  in  the  cave  of  the  lake. 

"But  how  in  the  mischief,"  thought  he,  "am  I  to 
find  anything  here?"  He  held  up  his  lantern  and 
looked  about.  "I  can't  move  these  rocks  to  see  what 
is  under  them." 

As  he  gazed  around,  he  noticed  that  the  southeast 
corner  seemed  to  be  more  regular  than  the  rest  of  the 
wall  of  the  cave.  In  fact,  it  was  almost  a  right-angled 
corner,  and  seemed  to  have  been  roughly  cut  into  that 
shape.  Instantly  Burke  was  in  the  corner.  He  found 
the  eastern  wall  quite  smooth  for  a  space  about  a  foot 
wide  and  extending  about  two  yards  from  the  floor. 
In  this  he  perceived  lines  of  crevice  marking  out  a 
rectangular  space  some  six  inches  wide  and  four  feet 
in  height. 

286 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Ha;  ha!"  cried  Burke.  "The  handle  is  on  the 
other  side  of  that  slab,  I'll  bet  my  head  ! "  And  put 
ting  down  the  lantern,  he  went  to  work. 

With  his  hammer  and  chisel  he  had  forced  the  top 
of  the  slab  in  less  than  two  minutes,  and  soon  he  pulled 
it  outward  and  let  it  drop  on  the  floor.  Inside  the 
narrow,  perpendicular  cavity  which  was  now  before 
him,  he  saw  an  upright  metal  bar. 

"The  handle  of  the  bolt ! "  cried  Burke.  "Now  I 
can  unfasten  the  trap-door."  And  taking  hold  of  the 
top  of  the  bar,  he  pulled  back  with  all  his  force.  At 
first  he  could  not  move  it,  but  suddenly  the  resistance 
ceased,  and  he  pulled  the  bar  forward  until  it  stood 
at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degees  from  the  wall. 
Further  than  this  Burke  could  not  move  it,  although 
he  tugged  and  bore  down  on  it  with  all  his  weight. 

"All  right,"  said  he,  at  last.  "I  guess  that's  as  far 
as  she'll  come.  Anyway,  I'm  off  to  see  if  I've  drawn 
that  bolt.  If  I  have,  I'll  have  that  trap-door  open,  if 
I  have  to  break  my  back  lifting  it." 

With  his  best  speed  Burke  ran  through  the  caves 
to  the  mound,  and,  mounting  by  means  of  the  stone 
projections,  he  was  about  to  descend  by  the  ladder, 
when,  to  his  utter  amazement,  he  saw  no  ladder.  He 
had  left  it  projecting  at  least  two  feet  through  the 
opening  in  the  top  of  the  mound,  and  now  he  could 
see  nothing  of  it. 

What  could  this  mean  ?  Going  up  a  little  higher, 
he  held  up  his  lantern  and  looked  within,  but  saw  no 
signs  of  the  ladder. 

"By  George  ! "  he  cried,  "has  anybody  followed  me 
and  pulled  out  that  ladder  ? " 

Lowering  the  lantern  farther  into  the  mound,  he 
287 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

peered  in.  Below,  and  immediately  under  him,  was 
a  black  hole,  about  three  feet  square.  Burke  was  so 
startled  that  he  almost  dropped  the  lantern.  But  he 
was  a  man  of  tough  nerve,  and  maintained  his  clutch 
upon  it.  But  he  drew  back.  It  required  some  seconds 
to  catch  his  breath.  Presently  he  looked  down  again. 

"I  see,"  said  he.  "That  trap-door  was  made  to  fall 
down,  and  not  to  lift  up,  and  when  I  pulled  the  bolt, 
down  it  went,  and  the  ladder,  being  on  top  of  it, 
slipped  into  that  hole.  Heavens  ! "  he  said,  as  a  cold 
sweat  burst  out  over  him  at  the  thought,  "suppose  I 
had  made  up  my  mind  to  cut  that  bolt !  Where  would 
I  have  gone  to  ? " 

It  was  not  easy  to  frighten  Burke,  but  now  he 
trembled,  and  his  back  was  chilled.  But  he  soon  recov 
ered  sufficiently  to  do  something,  and  going  down  to 
the  floor  of  the  cave,  he  picked  up  a  piece  of  loose 
stone,  and  returning  to  the  top  of  the  mound,  he 
looked  carefully  over  the  edge  of  the  opening,  and  let 
the  stone  drop  into  the  black  hole  beneath.  With 
all  the  powers  of  his  brain  he  listened,  and  it  seemed 
to  him  like  half  a  minute  before  he  heard  a  faint 
sound,  far,  far  below.  At  this  moment  he  was  worse 
frightened  than  he  had  ever  been  in  his  life.  He 
clambered  down  to  the  foot  of  the  mound,  and  sat 
down  on  the  floor. 

"What  in  the  name  of  all  the  devils  does  it  mean!  " 
said  he  ;  and  he  set  himself  to  work  to  think  about  it, 
and  found  this  a  great  deal  harder  labor  than  cutting 
stone. 

"There  was  only  one  thing,"  he  said  to  himself,  at 
last,  "that  they  could  have  had  that  for.  The  captain 
says  that  those  ancient  fellows  put  their  gold  there 

288 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

to  keep  it  from  the  Spaniards,  and  they  must  have 
rigged  up  this  devilish  contrivance  to  work  if  they 
found  the  Spaniards  had  got  on  the  track  of  their 
treasure.  Even  if  the  Spaniards  had  let  off  the  water 
and  gone  to  work  to  get  the  gold  out,  one  of  the  Incas' 
men  in  the  corner  of  that  other  cave,  which  most  likely 
was  all  shut  up  and  not  discoverable,  would  have  got 
hold  of  that  bar,  given  it  a  good  pull,  and  let  down  all 
the  gold,  and  what  Spaniards  might  happen  to  be  inside, 
to  the  very  bottom  of  that  black  hole.  By  George  !  it 
would  have  been  a  pretty  trick  !  The  bottom  of  that 
mound  is  just  like  a  funnel,  and  every  stick  of  gold 
would  have  gone  down.  But,  what  is  more  likely, 
they  would  have  let  it  out  before  the  Spaniards  had  a 
chance  to  open  the  top,  and  then,  if  the  ancients  had 
happened  to  lick  the  Spaniards,  they  could  have  got 
all  that  gold  up  again.  It  might  have  taken  ten  or 
twenty  years,  but  then,  the  ancients  had  all  the  time 
they  wanted." 

After  these  reflections,  Burke  sat  for  a  few  moments, 
staring  at  the  lantern.  "But,  by  George ! "  said  he 
again,  speaking  aloud,  though  in  low  tones,  "it  makes 
my  blood  run  cold  to  think  of  the  captain  working 
day  after  day,  as  hard  as  he  could,  right  over  that 
horrible  trap-door.  Suppose  he  had  moved  the  bolt 
in  some  way  !  Suppose  somebody  outside  had  found 
that  slab  in  the  wall  and  had  fooled  with  the  bar ! 
Then,  there  is  another  thing.  Suppose,  while  they 
were  living  here,  he  or  the  boy  had  found  that  bar 
before  he  found  the  dome,  and  had  pulled  out  the 
concern  to  see  what  it  was  !  Bless  me  !  in  that  case 
we  should  all  be  as  poor  as  rats  !  But  I  must  not  stop 
here,  or  the  next  watch  will  be  called  before  I  get 

289 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

back.  But  one  thing  I'll  do  before  I  go.  I'll  put  back 
that  lid.  Somebody  might  find  the  dome  in  the  dark, 
and  tumble  into  it.  Why,  if  a  wandering  rat  should 
make  a  slip,  and  go  down  into  that  black  hole,  it 
would  be  enough  to  make  a  fellow's  blood  run  cold  if 
he  knew  of  it." 

Without  much  trouble  Burke  replaced  the  lid,  and 
then,  without  further  delay,  he  left  the  caves.  As  he 
hurried  along  the  beach,  he  debated  within  himself 
whether  or  not  he  should  tell  Captain  Horn  what  he 
had  discovered. 

"It  will  be  mighty  hard  on  his  nerves,"  said  he,  "if 
he  comes  to  know  how  he  squatted  and  worked  for 
days  and  weeks  over  that  diabolical  trap  that  opens 
downward.  He's  a  strong  man,  but  he's  got  enough 
on  his  nerves  as  it  is.  No,  I  won't  tell  him.  He  is 
going  to  do  the  handsome  thing  by  us,  and  it  would  be 
mean  for  me  to  do  the  unhandsome  thing  by  him.  By 
George !  I  don't  believe  he  could  sleep  for  two  or 
three  nights  if  he  knew  what  I  know  !  No,  sir  !  You 
just  keep  your  mouth  shut  until  we  are  safe  and  sound 
in  some  civilized  spot,  with  the  whole  business  settled, 
and  Shirley  and  me  discharged.  Then  I  will  tell  the 
captain  about  it,  so  that  nobody  need  ever  trouble 
his  mind  about  coming  back  to  look  for  gold  rings 
and  royal  mummies.  If  I  don't  get  back  before  my 
watch  is  called,  I'll  brazen  it  out  somehow.  We've 
got  to  twist  discipline  a  little  when  we  are  all  hard  at 
work  at  a  job  like  this." 

He  left  his  shoes  on  the  sand  of  the  cove,  and  swam 
to  the  ship  without  taking  time  to  undress.  He 
slipped  over  the  taffrail,  and  had  scarcely  time  to  get 
below  and  change  his  clothes  before  his  watch  was  called. 

290 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THE  CAPTAIN  WRITES  A  LETTER 

ON  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  the  Miranda,  having 
taken  in  water,  set  sail,  and  began  her  long  -voyage 
to  Kio  Janeiro,  and  thence  to  France. 

Now  that  his  labors  were  over,  and  the  treasure  of 
the  Incas  safely  stored  in  the  hold  of  the  brig,  where 
it  was  ignominiously  acting  as  ballast,  Captain  Horn 
seated  himself  comfortably  in  the  shade  of  a  sail  and 
lighted  his  pipe.  He  was  tired  of  working,  tired  of 
thinking,  tired  of  planning— tired  in  mind,  body,  and 
even  soul ;  and  the  thought  that  his  work  was  done, 
and  that  he  was  actually  sailing  away  with  his  great 
prize,  came  to  him  like  a  breeze  from  the  sea  after  a 
burning  day.  He  was  not  as  happy  as  he  should  have 
been.  He  knew  that  he  was  too  tired  to  be  as  happy 
as  his  circumstances  demanded,  but  after  a  while  he 
would  attend  better  to  that  business.  Now  he  was 
content  to  smoke  his  pipe,  and  wait,  and  listen  to  the 
distant  music  from  all  the  different  kinds  of  enjoy 
ment  which,  in  thought,  were  marching  toward  him. 
It  was  true  he  was  only  beginning  his  long  voyage  to 
the  land  where  he  hoped  to  turn  his  gold  into  availa 
ble  property.  It  was  true  that  he  might  be  murdered 
that  night,  or  some  other  night,  and  that  when  the 

291 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

brig,  with  its  golden  cargo,  reached  port,  he  might 
not  be  in  command  of  her.  It  was  true  that  a  hun 
dred  things  might  happen  to  prevent  the  advancing 
enjoyments  from  ever  reaching  him.  But  ill-omened 
chances  threaten  everything  that  man  is  doing,  or 
ever  can  do,  and  he  would  not  let  the  thought  of 
them  disturb  him  now. 

Everybody  on  board  the  Miranda  was  glad  to  rest 
and  be  happy,  according  to  his  methods  and  his 
powers  of  anticipation.  -As  to  any  present  advantage 
from  their  success,  there  was  none.  The  stones  and 
sand  they  had  thrown  out  had  ballasted  the  brig  quite 
as  well  as  did  the  gold  they  now  carried.  This  trite 
reflection  forced  itself  upon  the  mind  of  Burke. 

"Captain,"  said  he,  "don't  you  think  it  would  be  a 
good  idea  to  touch  somewhere  and  lay  in  a  store  of 
fancy  groceries  and  saloon-cabin  grog?  If  we  can 
afford  to  be  as  jolly  as  we  please,  I  don't  see  why  we 
shouldn't  begin  now." 

But  the  captain  shook  his  head.  "It  would  be  a 
dangerous  thing,"  he  said,  "to  put  into  any  port  on  the 
west  coast  of  South  America  with  our  present  cargo  on 
board.  We  can't  make  it  look  like  ballast,  as  I  ex 
pected  we  could,  for  all  that  bagging  gives  it  a  big 
bulk,  and  if  the  custom-house  officers  came  on  board, 
it  would  not  do  any  good  to  tell  them  we  are  sailing 
in  ballast,  if  they  happened  to  want  to  look  below." 

"Well,  that  may  be  so,"  said  Burke.  "But  what  I'd 
like  would  be  to  meet  a  first-class,  double-quick 
steamer,  and  buy  her,  put  our  treasure  on  board,  and 
then  clap  on  all  steam  for  France." 

"All  right,"  said  the  captain,  "but  we'll  talk  about 
that  when  we  meet  a  steamer  for  sale." 

292 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

After  a  week  had  passed,  and  lie  had  begun  to  feel 
the  advantages  of  rest  and  relief  from  anxiety,  Cap 
tain  Horn  regretted  nothing  so  much  as  that  the 
Miranda  was  not  a  steamer,  ploughing  her  swift  way 
over  the  seas.  It  must  be  a  long,  long  time  before  he 
could  reach  those  whom  he  supposed  and  hoped  were 
waiting  for  him  in  France.  It  had  already  been  a 
long,  long  time  since  they  had  heard  from  him.  He 
did  not  fear  that  they  would  suffer  because  he  did  not 
come.  He  had  left  them  money  enough  to  prevent 
anything  of  that  sort.  He  did  not  know  whether  or  not 
they  were  longing  to  hear  from  him,  but  he  did  know 
that  he  wanted  them  to  hear  from  him.  He  must  yet 
sail  about  three  thousand  miles  in  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
and  then  about  two  thousand  more  in  the  Atlantic, 
before  he  reached  Kio  Janeiro,  the  port  for  which  he 
had  cleared.  From  there  it  would  be  nearly  five 
thousand  miles  to  France,  and  he  did  not  dare  to  cal 
culate  how  long  it  would  take  the  brig  to  reach  her 
final  destination. 

This  course  of  thought  determined  him  to  send  a 
letter,  which  would  reach  Paris  long  before  he  could 
arrive  there.  If  they  should  know  that  he  was  on  his 
way  home,  all  might  be  well,  or,  at  least,  better  than  if 
they  knew  nothing  about  him.  It  might  be  a  hazardous 
thing  to  touch  at  a  port  on  this  coast,  but  he  believed 
that,  if  he  managed  matters  properly,  he  might  get 
a  letter  ashore  without  making  it  necessary  for  any 
meddlesome  custom-house  officers  to  come  aboard  and 
ask  questions.  Accordingly,  he  decided  to  stop  at  Val 
paraiso.  He  thought  it  likely  that  if  he  did  not  meet 
a  vessel  going  into  port  which  would  lay  to  and  take 
his  letter,  he  might  find  some  merchantman,  anchored 

293 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

in  the  roadstead,  to  which  he  could  send  a  boat,  and 
on  which  he  was  sure  to  find  some  one  who  would  will 
ingly  post  his  letter. 

He  wrote  a  long  letter  to  Edna— a  straightforward, 
business-like  missive,  as  his  letters  had  always  been, 
in  which,  in  language  which  she  could  understand, 
but  would  carry  no  intelligible  idea  to  any  unauthor 
ized  person  who  might  open  the  letter,  he  gave  her 
an  account  of  what  he  had  done,  and  which  was  cal 
culated  to  relieve  all  apprehensions,  should  it  be  yet 
a  long  time  before  he  reached  her.  He  promised  to 
write  again  whenever  there  was  an  opportunity  of 
sending  her  a  letter,  and  wrote  in  such  a  friendly  and 
encouraging  manner  that  he  felt  sure  there  would  be 
no  reason  for  any  disappointment  or  anxiety  regarding 
him  and  the  treasure. 

Burke  and  Shirley  were  a  little  surprised  when  they 
found  that  the  captain  had  determined  to  stop  at 
Valparaiso,  a  plan  so  decidedly  opposed  to  what  he 
had  before  said  on  the  subject.  But  when  they  found 
it  was  for  the  purpose  of  sending  a  letter  to  his  wife, 
and  that  he  intended,  if  possible,  barely  to  touch  and 
go,  they  said  nothing  more,  nor  did  Burke  make  any 
further  allusions  to  improvement  in  their  store  of 
provisions. 

When,  at  last,  the  captain  found  himself  off  Valpa 
raiso,  it  was  on  a  dark,  cloudy  evening  and  nothing 
could  be  done  until  the  next  morning,  and  they 
dropped  anchor  to  wait  until  dawn. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light,  the  captain  saw  that  a  Brit 
ish  steamer  was  anchored  about  a  mile  from  the 
Miranda,  and  he  immediately  sent  a  boat,  with  Shir 
ley  and  two  of  the  negroes,  to  ask  the  officer  on  duty 

294 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

to  post  his  letter  when  lie  sent  on  shore.  In  a  little 
more  than  an  hour  Shirley  returned,  with  the  report 
that  the  first  mate  of  the  steamer  knew  Captain  Horn 
and  would  gladly  take  charge  of  his  letter. 

The  boat  was  quickly  hauled  to  the  davits,  and  all 
hands  were  called  to  weigh  anchor  and  set  sail.  But 
all  hands  did  not  respond  to  the  call.  One  of  the 
negroes,  a  big,  good-natured  fellow,  who,  on  account 
of  his  unpronounceable  African  name,  had  been 
dubbed  "Inkspot,"  was  not  to  be  found.  This  was  a 
very  depressing  thing,  under  the  circumstances,  and  it 
almost  counterbalanced  the  pleasure  the  captain  felt 
in  having  started  a  letter  on  its  way  to  his  party  in 
France. 

It  seemed  strange  that  Inkspot  should  have  deserted 
the  vessel,  for  it  was  a  long  way  to  the  shore,  and, 
besides,  what  possible  reason  could  he  have  for  leaving 
his  fellow- Africans  and  taking  up  his  lot  among  abso 
lute  strangers?  The  crew  had  all  worked  together 
so  earnestly  and  faithfully  that  the  captain  had  come 
to  believe  in  them  and  trust  them  to  an  extent  to 
which  he  had  never  before  trusted  seamen. 

The  officers  held  a  consultation  as  to  what  was  to 
be  done,  and  they  very  quickly  arrived  at  a  decision. 
To  remain  at  anchor,  to  send  a  boat  on  shore  to  look 
for  the  missing  negro,  would  be  dangerous  and  useless. 
Inquiries  about  the  deserter  would  provoke  inquiries 
about  the  brig,  and  if  Inkspot  really  wished  to  run 
away  from  the  vessel,  it  would  take  a  long  time  to 
find  him  and  bring  him  back.  The  right  course  was 
quite  plain  to  every  one.  Having  finished  the  busi 
ness  which  brought  them  there,  they  must  up  anchor 
and  sail  away  as  soon  as  possible  As  for  the  loss  of 

296 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

the  man,  they  must  bear  that  as  well  as  they  could. 
"Whether  he  had  been  drowned,  eaten  by  a  shark,  or 
had  safely  reached  the  shore,  he  was  certainly  lost  to 
them. 

At  the  best,  their  crew  had  been  small  enough,  but 
six  men  had  sailed  a  brig,  and  six  men  could  do  it 
again. 

So  the  anchor  was  weighed,  the  sails  were  set,  and 
before  a  northeast  wind  the  Miranda  went  out  to  sea 
as  gayly  as  the  nature  of  her  build  permitted,  which 
is  not  saying  much.  It  was  a  good  wind,  however, 
and  when  the  log  had  been  thrown,  the  captain  re 
marked  that  the  brig  was  making  better  time  than 
she  had  made  since  they  left  Acapulco. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

A  HOBSE-DEALEK  APPEARS  ON  THE  SCENE 

WHEN  the  brig  Miranda  was  lying  at  anchor  in  the 
Kackbirds'  cove,  and  Mr.  George  Burke  had  silently 
left  her  in  order  to  go  on  shore  and  pursue  some  in 
vestigations  in  which  he  was  interested,  his  departure 
from  the  brig  had  not  been,  as  he  supposed,  unnoticed. 
The  big,  good-natured  African,  known  as  Inkspot, 
had  been  on  watch,  and,  being  himself  so  very  black 
that  he  was  not  generally  noticeable  in  the  dark,  was 
standing  on  a  part  of  the  deck  from  which,  without 
being  noticed  himself,  he  saw  a  person  get  over  the 
taffrail  and  slip  into  the  water.  He  knew  this  person 
to  be  the  second  mate,  and  having  a  high  respect  and 
some  fear  of  his  superiors,  he  did  not  consider  it  his 
business  to  interfere  with  him.  He  saw  a  head  above 
the  water,  moving  toward  the  shore,  but  it  soon  dis 
appeared  in  the  darkness.  Toward  the  end  of  his 
watch,  he  had  seen  Mr.  Burke  climb  up  the  vessel's 
side  as  silently  as  he  had  gone  down  it,  and  disappear 
below. 

When  Inkspot  went  to  his  hammock,  which  he  did 
very  shortly  afterwards,  he  reflected  to  the  best  of  his 
ability  upon  what  he  had  seen.  Why  did  MrN Burke 
slip  away  from  the  ship  so  silently,  and  come  back  in 

297 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  same  way  ?  He  must  have  gone  ashore,  and  why 
did  he  want  no  one  to  know  that  he  had  gone?  He 
must  have  gone  to  do  something  he  ought  not  to  do, 
and  Inkspot  could  think  of  nothing  wrong  that  Mr. 
Burke  would  like  to  do,  except  to  drink  whiskey. 
Captain  Horn  was  very  particular  about  using  spirits 
on  board,  and  perhaps  Mr.  Burke  liked  whiskey,  and 
could  not  get  it.  Inkspot  knew  about  the  storehouse 
of  the  Kackbirds,  but  he  did  not  know  what  it  had 
contained,  or  what  had  been  left  there.  Maka  had 
said  something  about  the  whiskey  having  been  poured 
out  on  the  sand,  but  that  might  have  been  said  just 
to  keep  people  away  from  the  place.  If  there  were 
no  whiskey  there,  why  did  Mr.  Burke  go  on  shore  ? 

Now,  it  so  happened  that  Inkspot  knew  a  good 
deal  about  whiskey.  Before  he  had  gone  into  the 
service  of  the  Kackbirds,  he  had,  at  different 
times,  been  drunk,  and  he  had  the  liveliest  and  most 
pleasant  recollections  of  these  experiences.  It  had 
been  a  long  time  since  he  had  had  enough  whiskey  to 
make  him  feel  happy.  This  had  probably  been  the 
case  with  Mr.  Burke,  and  he  had  gone  on  shore,  and 
most  likely  had  had  some  very  happy  hours,  and 
had  come  back  without  any  one  knowing  where  he 
had  gone.  The  consequence  of  this  train  of  thought 
was  that  Inkspot  determined  that  he  would  go  on 
shore,  the  next  night,  and  hunt  for  whiskey.  He  could 
do  it  quite  as  well  as  Mr.  Burke  had  done  it,  perhaps 
even  better.  But  the  Miranda  did  not  remain  in  the 
cove  the  next  night,  and  poor  Inkspot  looked  with 
longing  eyes  upon  the  slowly  departing  spot  on  the 
sands  where  he  knew  the  Kackbirds'  storehouse  was 
located. 

298 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

The  days  and  nights  went  on,  and  in  the  course  of 
time  the  Miranda  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  Valpa 
raiso  ;  and,  when  this  happened,  Inkspot  determined 
that  now  would  be  his  chance  to  go  on  shore  and  get 
a  good  drink  of  whiskey— he  had  money  enough  for 
that.  He  could  see  the  lights  of  El  Puerto,  or  the  Old 
Town,  glittering  and  beckoning,  and  they  did  not 
appear  to  be  very  far  off.  It  would  be  nothing  for 
him  to  swim  as  far  as  that. 

Inkspot  went  off  his  watch  at  midnight,  and  he  went 
into  the  water  at  fifty  minutes  to  one.  He  wore 
nothing  but  a  dark -gray  shirt  and  a  pair  of  thin 
trousers,  and  if  any  one  had  seen  his  head  and  shoul 
ders,  it  is  not  likely,  unless  a  good  light  had  been 
turned  on  them,  that  they  would  have  been  supposed 
to  be  portions  of  a  human  form. 

Inkspot  was  very  much  at  home  in  the  water,  and 
he  could  swim  like  a  dog  or  a  deer.  But  it  was  a 
long,  long  swim  to  those  glittering  and  beckoning 
lights.  At  last,  however,  he  reached  a  pier,  and  hav 
ing  rested  himself  on  the  timbers  under  it,  he  cau 
tiously  climbed  to  the  top.  The  pier  was  deserted, 
and  he  walked  to  the  end  of  it,  and  entered  the  town. 
He  knew  nothing  of  Valparaiso,  except  that  it  was  a 
large  city  where  sailors  went,  and  he  was  quite  sure 
he  could  find  a  shop  where  they  sold  whiskey.  Then 
he  would  have  a  glass —perhaps  two — perhaps  three 
—after  which  he  would  return  to  the  brig,  as  Mr. 
Burke  had  done.  Of  course,  he  would  have  to  do 
much  more  swimming  than  had  been  necessary  for  the 
second  mate,  but  then,  he  believed  himself  to  be  a 
better  swimmer  than  that  gentleman,  and  he  expected 
to  get  back  a  great  deal  easier  than  he  came,  because 

299 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  whiskey  would  make  him  strong  and  happy,  and 
he  could  play  with  the  waves. 

Inkspot  did  find  a  shop,  and  a  dirty  one  it  was— 
but  they  sold  whiskey  inside,  and  that  was  enough  for 
him.  With  the  exception  of  Maka,  he  was  the  most 
intelligent  negro  among  the  captain's  crew,  and  he 
had  picked  up  some  words  of  English  and  some  of 
Spanish.  But  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  express  an 
idea  with  these  words.  Among  these  words,  however, 
was  one  which  he  pronounced  better  than  any  of  the 
others,  and  which  had  always  been  understood  when 
ever  he  used  it,— whether  in  English  or  Spanish,  no 
matter  what  the  nationality  might  be  of  the  person 
addressed,— and  that  word  was  "whiskey." 

Inkspot  had  one  glass,  and  then  another,  a  third, 
and  a  fourth,  and  then  his  money  gave  out— at  least, 
the  man  who  kept  the  shop  insisted,  in  words  that 
any  one  could  understand,  that  the  silver  the  big 
negro  had  fished  out  of  his  dripping  pockets  would 
pay  for  no  more  drinks.  But  Inkspot  had  had  enough 
to  make  him  happy.  His  heart  was  warm,  and  his 
clothes  were  getting  drier.  He  went  out  into  the 
glorious  night.  It  was  dark  and  windy,  and  the  sky 
was  cloudy,  but  to  him  all  things  were  glorious.  He 
sat  down  on  the  pavement  in  the  cosey  corner  of  two 
walls,  and  there  he  slept  luxuriously  until  a  policeman 
came  along  and  arrested  him  for  being  drunk  in  the 
street. 

It  was  two  days  before  Inkspot  got  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  police.  Then  he  was  discharged  because  the 
authorities  did  not  desire  to  further  trouble  them 
selves  with  a  stupid  fellow  who  could  give  no  account 
of  himself,  and  had  probably  wandered  from  a  vessel 

300 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

in  port.  The  first  thing  he  did  was  to  go  out  to  the 
water's  edge  and  look  out  over  the  harbor,  but  al 
though  he  saw  many  ships,  his  sharp  eyes  told  him 
that  not  one  of  them  was  the  brig  he  had  left. 

After  an  hour  or  two  of  wandering  up  and  down 
the  waterside,  he  became  sure  that  there  was  no  ves 
sel  in  that  harbor  waiting  for  him  to  swim  to  her. 
Then  he  became  equally  certain  that  he  was  very 
hungry.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  a  good, 
strong  negro  like  Inkspot  found  employment.  It  was 
not  necessary  for  him  to  speak  very  much  Spanish,  or 
any  other  language,  to  get  a  job  at  carrying  things  up 
a  gang-plank,  and,  in  pay  for  this  labor,  he  willingly 
took  whatever  was  given  him. 

That  night,  with  very  little  money  in  his  pocket, 
Inkspot  entered  a  tavern,  a  low  place,  but  not  so  low 
as  the  one  he  had  patronized  on  his  arrival  in  Valpa 
raiso.  He  had  had  a  meagre  supper,  and  now  pos 
sessed  but  money  enough  to  pay  for  one  glass  of  whiskey, 
and  having  procured  this,  he  seated  himself  on  a  stool 
in  a  corner,  determined  to  protract  his  enjoyment  as 
long  as  possible.  Where  he  would  sleep  that  night 
he  knew  not,  but  it  was  not  yet  bedtime,  and  he  did 
not  concern  himself  with  the  question. 

Near  by,  at  a  table,  were  seated  four  men,  drinking, 
smoking,  and  talking.  Two  of  these  were  sailors. 
Another,  a  tall,  dark  man  with  a  large  nose,  thin  at 
the  bridge  and  somewhat  crooked  below,  was  dressed 
in  very  decent  shore  clothes,  but  had  a  maritime 
air  about  him,  notwithstanding.  The  fourth  man,  as 
would  have  been  evident  to  any  one  who  understood 
Spanish,  was  a  horse-dealer,  and  the  conversation, 
when  Inkspot  entered  the  place,  was  entirely  about 

301 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

horses.  But  Inkspot  did  not  know  this,  as  he  under 
stood  so  few  of  the  words  that  he  heard,  and  he  would 
not  have  been  interested  if  he  had  understood  them. 
The  horse-dealer  was  the  principal  spokesman,  but 
he  would  have  been  a  poor  representative  of  the 
shrewdness  of  his  class,  had  he  been  trying  to  sell 
horses  to  sailors.  He  was  endeavoring  to  do  nothing 
of  the  kind.  These  men  were  his  friends,  and  he  was 
speaking  to  them,  not  of  the  good  qualities  of  his  ani 
mals,  but  of  the  credulous  natures  of  his  customers. 
To  illustrate  this,  he  drew  from  his  pocket  a  small 
object  which  he  had  received  a  few  days  before  for 
some  horses  which  might  possibly  be  worth  their  keep, 
although  he  would  not  be  willing  to  guarantee  this  to 
any  one  at  the  table.  The  little  object  which  he 
placed  on  the  table  was  a  piece  of  gold  about  two 
inches  long,  and  shaped  like  an  irregular  prism. 

This,  he  said,  he  had  received  in  trade  from  a  man 
in  Santiago,  who  had  recently  come  down  from  Lima. 
The  man  had  bought  it  from  a  jeweller,  who  had 
others,  and  who  said  he  understood  they  had  come 
from  California.  The  jeweller  had  owed  the  man 
money,  and  the  latter  had  taken  this,  not  as  a  curios 
ity,  for  it  was  not  much  of  a  curiosity,  as  they  could 
all  see,  but  because  the  jeweller  told  him  exactly  how 
much  it  was  worth,  and  because  it  was  safer  than 
money  to  carry,  and  could  be  changed  into  current 
coin  in  any  part  of  the  world.  The  point  of  the  horse- 
dealer's  remarks  was,  however,  the  fact  that  not  only 
had  he  sold  his  horses  to  the  man  from  Lima  for  very 
much  more  than  they  were  worth,  but  he  had  made 
him  believe  that  this  lump  of  gold  was  not  worth  as 
much  as  he  had  been  led  to  suppose,  that  the  jeweller 

302 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

had  cheated  him,  and  that  California!!  gold  was  not 
easily  disposed  of  in  Chili  or  Peru,  for  it  was  of  a 
very  inferior  quality  to  the  gold  of  South  America. 
So  he  had  made  his  trade,  and  also  a  profit,  not  only 
on  the  animals  he  delivered,  but  on  the  pay  he  re 
ceived.  He  had  had  the  little  lump  weighed  and 
tested,  and  knew  exactly  how  much  it  was  worth. 

When  the  horse-dealer  had  finished  this  pleasant 
tale,  he  laughed  loudly,  and  the  three  other  men 
laughed  also  because  they  had  keen  wits  and  appre 
ciated  a  good  story  of  real  life.  But  their  laughter 
was  changed  to  astonishment— almost  fright— when  a 
big  black  negro  bounded  out  of  a  dark  corner  and 
stood  by  the  table,  one  outstretched  ebony  finger 
pointing  to  the  piece  of  gold.  Instantly  the  horse- 
dealer  snatched  his  treasure  and  thrust  it  into  his 
pocket,  and  almost  at  the  same  moment  each  man 
sprung  to  his  feet  and  put  his  hand  on  his  favorite 
weapon.  But  the  negro  made  no  attempt  to  snatch 
the  gold,  nor  did  there  seem  to  be  any  reason  to  ap 
prehend  an  attack  from  him.  He  stood  slapping  his 
thighs  with  his  hands,  his  mouth  in  a  wide  grin,  and 
his  eyes  sparkling  in  apparent  delight. 

"What  is  the  matter  with  you? "  shouted  the  horse- 
dealer.  "What  do  you  want? " 

Inkspot  did  not  understand  what  had  been  said  to 
him,  nor  could  he  have  told  what  he  wanted,  for  he 
did  not  know.  At  that  moment  he  knew  nothing,  he 
comprehended  nothing,  but  he  felt  as  a  stranger  in  a 
foreign  land  would  feel  should  he  hear  some  words  in 
his  native  tongue.  The  sight  of  that  piece  of  gold 
had  given  to  Inkspot,  by  one  quick  flash,  a  view  of 
his  negro  friends  and  companions,  of  Captain  Horn 

303 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

and  his  two  white  men,  of  the  brig  he  had  left,  of  the 
hammock  in  which  he  had  slept — of  all,  in  fact,  that 
he  now  cared  for  on  earth. 

He  had  seen  pieces  of  gold  like  that.  Before  all 
the  treasure  had  been  carried  from  the  caves  to  the 
Miranda,  the  supply  of  coffee-bags  had  given  out,  and 
during  the  last  days  of  the  loading  it  had  been  neces 
sary  to  tie  up  the  gold  in  pieces  of  sail-cloth,  after  the 
fashion  of  a  wayfarer's  bundle.  Before  these  had  been 
put  on  board,  their  fastening  had  been  carefully  ex 
amined,  and  some  of  them  had  been  opened  and  retied. 
Thus  all  the  negroes  had  seen  the  little  bars,  for,  as  they 
knew  the  bags  contained  gold,  there  was  no  need  of 
concealing  from  them  the  shape  and  size  of  the  contents. 

So,  when,  sitting  in  his  gloomy  corner,  his  spirits 
slowly  rising  under  the  influence  of  his  refreshment, 
which  he  had  just  finished,  he  saw  before  him  an  ob 
ject  which  recalled  to  him  the  life  and  friends  of 
which  he  had  bereft  himself,  Inkspot's  nature  took 
entire  possession  of  him,  and  he  bounded  to  the  table 
in  ecstatic  recognition  of  the  bit  of  metal. 

The  men  now  swore  at  Inkspot,  but  as  they  saw  he 
was  unarmed,  and  not  inclined  to  violence,  they  were 
not  afraid  of  him,  but  they  wondered  at  him.  The 
horse-dealer  took  the  piece  of  gold  out  of  his  pocket 
and  held  it  in  his  hand. 

"Did  you  ever  see  anything  like  that  before?"  he 
asked.  He  was  a  shrewd  man,  the  horse-dealer,  and 
really  wanted  to  know  what  was  the  matter  with  the 
negro. 

Inkspot  did  not  answer,  but  jabbered  in  African. 

"Try  him  in  English,"  suggested  the  thin-nosed 
man,  and  this  the  horse-dealer  did. 

304 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Many  of  the  English  words  Inkspot  understood. 
He  had  seen  things  like  that.  Yes,  yes  !  Great  heaps  ! 
Heaps  !  Bags  !  Bags  !  He  carried  them  !  Throw 
ing  an  imaginary  package  over  his  shoulder,  he  stag 
gered  under  it  across  the  floor.  Heaps  !  Piles  !  Bags  ! 
Days  and  days  and  days  he  carried  many  bags  !  Then, 
in  a  state  of  exalted  mental  action,  produced  by  his 
recollections  and  his  whiskey,  he  suddenly  conceived 
a  scorn  for  a  man  who  prized  so  highly  just  one  of 
these  lumps,  and  who  was  nearly  frightened  out  of 
his  wits  if  a  person  merely  pointed  to  it.  He 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  he  spread  out  the  palms  of 
his  hands  toward  the  piece  of  gold,  he  turned  away 
his  head  and  walked  off  sniffing.  Then  he  came  back 
and  pointed  to  it,  and,  saying  "  One  ! "  he  laughed,  and 
then  he  said  "One  ! "  and  laughed  again.  Suddenly  he 
became  possessed  with  a  new  idea.  His  contemptuous 
manner  dropped  from  him,  and  in  eager  excitement 
he  leaned  forward  and  exclaimed  : 

"Cap'  'Or?" 

The  four  men  looked  at  each  other  and  at  him  in 
wonder,  and  asked  what,  in  the  name  of  his  satanic 
majesty,  the  fellow  was  driving  at.  This  apparent 
question,  now  repeated  over  and  over  again  in  turn 
to  each  of  them,  they  did  not  understand  at  all.  But 
they  could  comprehend  that  the  negro  had  carried 
bags  of  lumps  like  that.  This  was  very  interesting. 


305 


CHAPTER  XXXVH 

THE  "ARATO" 

THE  subject  of  the  labors  of  an  African  Hercules, 
mythical  as  these  labors  might  be,  was  so  interesting 
to  the  four  men  who  had  been  drinking  and  smoking 
in  the  tavern,  that  they  determined  to  pursue  it  as 
far  as  their  ignorance  of  the  African's  language,  and 
his  ignorance  of  English  and  Spanish,  would  permit. 
In  the  first  place,  they  made  him  sit  down  with  them, 
and  offered  him  something  to  drink.  It  was  not 
whiskey,  but  Inkspot  liked  it  very  much,  and  felt  all 
sorts  of  good  effects  from  it.  In  fact,  it  gave  him  a 
power  of  expressing  himself  by  gestures  and  single 
words  in  a  manner  wonderful.  After  a  time,  the  men 
gave  him  something  to  eat,  for  they  imagined  he 
might  be  hungry,  and  this  also  helped  him  very  much, 
and  his  heart  went  out  to  these  new  friends.  Then 
he  had  a  little  more  to  drink,  but  only  a  little,  for 
the  horse-dealer  and  the  thin-nosed  man,  who  super 
intended  the  entertainment,  were  very  sagacious,  and 
did  not  want  him  to  drink  too  much. 

In  the  course  of  an  hour,  these  four  men,  listening 
and  watching  keenly  and  earnestly,  had  become  con 
vinced  that  this  black  man  had  been  on  a  ship  which 

306 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

carried  bags  of  gold  similar  to  the  rude  prism  pos 
sessed  by  the  horse-dealer,  that  he  had  left  that  vessel 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  refreshments  on  shore 
and  had  not  been  able  to  get  back  to  it,  thereby  indi 
cating  that  the  vessel  had  not  stopped  long  at  the 
place  where  he  had  left  it,  and  which  place  must 
have  been,  of  course,  Valparaiso.  Moreover,  they 
found  out  to  their  full  satisfaction  where  that  vessel 
was  going  to  ;  for  Maka  had  talked  a  great  deal  about 
Paris,  which  he  pronounced  in  English  fashion,  where 
Cheditafa  and  Mok  were,  and  the  negroes  had  looked 
forward  to  this  unknown  spot  as  a  heavenly  port,  and 
Inkspot  could  pronounce  the  word  "Paris"  almost  as 
plainly  as  if  it  were  a  drink  to  which  he  was  accus 
tomed. 

But  where  the  vessel  was  loaded  with  the  gold,  they 
could  not  find  out.  No  grimace  that  Inkspot  could 
make,  nor  word  that  he  could  say,  gave  them  an  idea 
worth  dwelling  upon.  He  said  some  words  which 
made  them  believe  that  the  vessel  had  cleared  from 
Acapulco,  but  it  was  foolish  to  suppose  that  any  vessel 
had  been  loaded  there  with  bags  of  gold  carried  on 
men's  shoulders.  The  ship  most  probably  came  from 
California,  and  had  touched  at  the  Mexican  port. 
And  she  was  now  bound  for  Paris.  That  was  natural 
enough.  Paris  was  a  very  good  place  to  which  to  take 
gold.  Moreover,  she  had  probably  touched  at  some 
South  American  port,  Callao  perhaps,  and  this  was  the 
way  the  little  pieces  of  gold  had  been  brought  into 
the  country,  the  Californians  probably  having  changed 
them  for  stores. 

The  words  "Cap'  'Or,"  often  repeated  by  the  negro, 
and  always  in  a  questioning  tone,  puzzled  them 

307 


ADVENTURES  OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

very  much.  They  gave  up  its  solution,  and  went  te 
work  to  try  to  make  out  the  name  of  the  vessel  upon 
which  the  bags  had  been  loaded.  But  here  Inkspot 
could  not  help  them.  They  could  not  make  him 
understand  what  it  was  they  wanted  him  to  say.  At 
last,  the  horse-dealer  proposed  to  the  others,  who,  he 
said,  knew  more  about  such  things  than  he  did,  that 
they  should  repeat  the  name  of  every  sailing-vessel 
on  that  coast  of  which  they  had  ever  heard— for  Ink- 
spot  had  made  them  understand  that  his  ship  had 
sails,  and  no  steam.  This  they  did,  and  presently  one 
of  the  sailors  mentioned  the  name  Miranda,  which 
belonged  to  a  brig  he  knew  of  which  plied  on  the 
coast.  At  this,  Inkspot  sprang  to  his  feet  and  clapped 
his  hands. 

"  Mirarfa  !  Miran'a  ! "  he  cried.  And  then  followed 
the  words,  "Cap'  'Or !  Cap'  'Or !"  in  eagerly  excited  tones. 

Suddenly  the  thin-nosed  man,  whom  the  others 
called  Cardatas,  leaned  forward. 

"Cap'n  Horn?"  said  he. 

Inkspot  clapped  his  hands  again,  and  exclaimed  : 

"Ay,  ay  !     Cap'  'Or !     Cap'  'Or  ! " 

He  shouted  the  words  so  loudly  that  the  barkeeper, 
at  the  other  end  of  the  room,  called  out  gruffly  that 
they'd  better  keep  quiet,  or  they  would  have  some 
body  coming  in. 

"There  you  have  it!"  exclaimed  Cardatas,  in 
Spanish.  "It's  Cap'n  Horn  that  the  fool's  been  try 
ing  to  say.  Cap'n  Horn  of  the  brig  Miranda.  We 
are  getting  on  finely." 

"I  have  heard  of  a  Cap'n  Horn,"  said  one  of  the 
sailors.  "He 's  a  Yankee  skipper  from  California.  He 
has  sailed  from  this  port,  I  know." 

308 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"And  he  touched  here  three  days  ago,  according  to 
the  negro,"  said  Cardatas,  addressing  the  horse-dealer. 
"What  do  you  say  to  that,  Nunez?  From  what  we 
know,  I  don't  think  it  will  be  hard  to  find  out  more." 

Nunez  agreed  with  him,  and  thought  it  might  pay 
to  find  out  more.  Soon  after  this,  being  informed 
that  it  was  time  to  shut  up  the  place,  the  four  men 
went  out,  taking  Inkspot  with  them.  They  would 
not  neglect  this  poor  fellow.  They  would  give  him  a 
place  to  sleep,  and  in  the  morning  he  should  have 
something  to  eat.  It  would  be  very  unwise  to  let 
him  go  from  them  at  present. 

The  next  morning  Inkspot  strolled  about  the 
wharves  of  Valparaiso,  in  company  with  the  two 
sailors,  who  never  lost  sight  of  him,  and  he  had  rather 
a  pleasant  time,  for  they  gave  him  as  much  to  eat 
and  drink  as  was  good  for  him,  and  made  him  under 
stand  as  well  as  they  could  that  it  would  not  be  long 
before  they  would  help  him  to  return  to  the  brig 
Miranda  commanded  by  Captain  Horn. 

In  the  meantime,  the  horse-dealer,  Nunez,  went  to 
a  newspaper  office,  and  there  procured  a  file  of  a 
Mexican  paper,  for  the  negro  had  convinced  them 
that  his  vessel  had  sailed  from  Acapulco.  Turning 
over  the  back  numbers  week  after  week,  and  week 
after  week,  Nunez  searched  in  the  maritime  news  for 
the  information  that  the  Miranda  had  cleared  from  a 
Mexican  port.  He  had  gone  back  so  far  that  he  had 
begun  to  consider  it  useless  to  make  further  search, 
when  suddenly  he  caught  the  name  Miranda.  There 
it  was.  The  brig  Miranda  had  cleared  from  Acapulco 
September  16,  bound  for  Rio  Janeiro  in  ballast. 
Nunez  counted  the  months  on  his  fingers. 

309 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Five  months  ago  ! "  he  said  to  himself.  "That's  not 
this  trip,  surely.  But  I  will  talk  to  Cardatas  about 
that."  And  taking  from  his  pocket  a  little  note-book 
in  which  he  recorded  his  benefactions  in  the  line  of 
horse  trades,  he  carefully  copied  the  paragraph  con 
cerning  the  Miranda. 

When  Nunez  met  Cardatas  in  the  afternoon,  the 
latter  also  had  news.  He  had  discovered  that  the  ar 
rival  of  the  Miranda  had  not  been  registered,  but  he 
had  been  up  and  down  the  piers,  asking  questions, 
and  he  had  found  a  mate  of  a  British  steamer,  then 
discharging  her  cargo,  who  told  him  that  the  Miranda, 
commanded  by  Captain  Horn,  had  anchored  in  the 
harbor  three  days  back,  during  the  night,  and  that 
early  the  next  morning  Captain  Horn  had  sent  him  a 
letter  which  he  wished  posted,  and  that  very  soon 
afterwards  the  brig  had  put  out  to  sea.  Cardatas 
wished  to  know  much  more,  but  the  mate,  who  had 
had  but  little  conversation  with  Shirley,  could  only 
tell  him  that  the  brig  was  then  bound  from  Acapulco 
to  Rio  Janeiro  in  ballast,  which  he  thought  rather  odd, 
but  all  he  could  add  was  that  he  knew  Captain  Horn, 
and  he  was  a  good  man,  and  that  if  he  were  sailing  in 
ballast,  he  supposed  he  knew  what  he  was  about. 

Nunez  then  showed  Cardatas  the  note  he  had  made, 
and  remarked  that,  of  course,  it  could  not  refer  to  the 
present  voyage  of  the  brig,  for  it  could  not  take  her 
five  months  to  come  from  Acapulco  to  this  port. 

"No,"  said  the  other,  musing,  "  it  oughtn't  to,  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  is  not  likely  she  is  on  her  second 
voyage  to  Rio,  and  both  times  in  ballast.  That's  all 
stuff  about  ballast.  No  man  would  be  such  a  fool  as 
to  sail  pretty  nigh  all  around  this  continent  in  bal- 

310 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

last.  He  could,  find  some  cargo  in  Mexico  that  he 
could  sell  when  he  got  to  port.  Besides,  if  that 
black  fellow  don't  lie,— and  he  don't  know  enough  to 
lie,— she's  bound  for  Paris.  It's  more  likely  she  means 
to  touch  at  Kio  and  take  over  some  cargo.  But  why, 
in  the  devil's  name,  should  she  sail  from  Acapulco  in 
ballast  ?  It  looks  to  me  as  if  bags  of  gold  might  make 
very  good  ballast." 

"That's  just  what  I  was  thinking,"  said  Nunez. 

"And  what's  more,"  said  the  other,  "I'll  bet  she 
brought  it  down  from  California  with  her  when  she 
arrived  at  Acapulco.  I  don't  believe  she  originally 
cleared  from  there." 

"It  looks  that  way,"  said  Nunez,  "but  how  do  you 
account  for  such  a  long  voyage  ?  " 

"I've  been  talking  to  Sanchez  about  that  Miranda," 
said  Cardatas.  "He  has  heard  that  she  is  an  old  tub, 
and  a  poor  sailer,  and  in  that  case  five  months  is  not 
such  a  very  slow  voyage.  I  have  known  of  slower 
voyages  than  that." 

"And  now  what  are  you  going  to  do  about  it?" 
asked  Nunez. 

"The  first  thing  I  want  to  do  is  to  pump  that  black 
fellow  a  little  more." 

"A  good  idea,"  said .  Nunez,  "and  we'll  go  and 
do  it." 

Poor  Inkspot  was  pumped  for  nearly  an  hour,  but 
not  much  was  got  out  of  him.  The  only  feature  of 
his  information  that  was  worth  anything  was  the  idea 
that  he  managed  to  convey  that  ballast,  consisting  of 
stones  and  bags  of  sand,  had  been  taken  out  of  the 
brig  and  thrown  away,  and  bags  of  gold  put  in  their 
places.  Where  this  transfer  had  taken  place,  the 

311 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

negro  could  not  make  his  questioners  understand,  and 
he  was  at  last  remanded  to  the  care  of  Sanchez  and 
the  other  sailor. 

"The  black  fellow  can't  tell  us  much,"  said  Cardatas 
to  Nunez,  as  they  walked  away  together,  "but  he 
has  stuck  to  his  story  well,  and  there  can't  be  any  use 
of  his  lying  about  it.  And  there  is  another  thing. 
What  made  the  brig  touch  here  just  long  enough  to 
leave  a  letter,  and  that  after  a  voyage  of  five  months  ? 
That  looks  as  if  they  were  afraid  some  of  their  people 
would  go  on  shore  and  talk." 

"In  that  case,"  said  Nunez,  "I  should  say  there  is 
something  shady  about  the  business.  Perhaps  this 
captain  has  slipped  away  from  his  partners  up  there 
in  California,  or  somebody  who  has  been  up  to  a  trick 
has  hired  him  to  take  the  gold  out  of  the  country. 
If  he  does  carry  treasure,  it  isn't  a  fair  and  square 
thing.  If  it  had  been  fair,  the  gold  would  have  been 
sent  in  the  regular  way,  by  a  steamer.  It's  no  crime 
to  send  gold  from  California  to  France,  or  any  other 
place." 

"I  agree  with  you,"  said  Cardatas,  as  he  lighted  his 
twenty-seventh  cigarette. 

Nunez  did  not  smoke,  but  he  mused  as  he  walked 
along. 

"If  she  has  gold  on  board,"  said  he,  presently,  "it 
must  be  a  good  deal." 

"Yes,"  said  the  other.  "They  wouldn't  take  so  much 
trouble  for  a  small  lot.  Of  course,  there  can't  be 
enough  of  it  to  take  the  place  of  all  the  ballast,  but  it 
must  weigh  considerable." 

Here  the  two  men  were  joined  by  an  acquaintance, 
312 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

and  their  special  conversation  ceased.  That  night 
they  met  again. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  about  this?"  asked 
Nunez.  ."We  can't  keep  on  supporting  that  negro." 

"What  is  to  be  done?"  asked  the  other,  his  sharp 
eyes  fixed  upon  his  companion's  face. 

"Would  it  pay  to  go  over  to  Rio  and  meet  that  brig 
when  she  arrives  there?  If  we  could  get  on  board 
and  have  a  talk  with  her  captain,  he  might  be  willing 
to  act  handsomely  when  he  found  out  we  know  some 
thing  about  him  and  his  ship.  And  if  he  won't  do 
that,  we  might  give  information,  and  have  his  vessel 
held  until  the  authorities  in  California  can  be  com 
municated  with.  Then  I  should  say  we  ought  to 
make  something." 

"I  don't  think  much  of  that  plan,"  said  Cardatas. 
"I  don't  believe  she's  going  to  touch  at  Elo.  If  she's 
afraid  to  go  into  port  here,  why  shouldn't  she  be 
afraid  to  go  into  port  there  ?  No.  It  would  be  stupid 
for  us  to  go  to  Eio  and  sit  down  and  wait  for  her." 

"Then,"  answered  the  other,  a  little  angrily,  "what 
can  be  done  ? " 

"We  can  go  after  her,"  said  Cardatas. 

The  other  sneered.  "That  would  be  more  stupid 
than  the  other,"  said  he.  "She  left  here  four  days  ago, 
and  we  could  never  catch  up  with  her,  even  if  we 
could  find  such  a  pin-point  of  a  vessel  on  the  great 
Pacific." 

Cardatas  laughed.  "You  don't  know  much  about 
navigation,"  said  he,  "but  that's  not  to  be  expected. 
With  a  good  sailing-vessel  I  could  go  after  her,  and 
overhaul  her  somewhere  in  the  Straits  of  Magellan. 

313 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

With  such  a  cargo,  I  am  sure  she  would  make  for  the 
Straits.  That  Captain  Horn  is  said  to  be  a  good 
sailor,  aud  the  fact  that  he  is  in  command  of  such  a 
tub  as  the  Miranda  is  a  proof  that  there  is  something 
underhand  about  his  business." 

"And  if  we  should  overhaul  her?"  said  the  other. 

"Well,"  was  the  reply,  "we  might  take  along  a 
dozen  good  fellows,  and  as  the  Miranda  has  only  three 
men  on  board,— I  don't  count  negroes  worth  anything, 
—I  don't  see  why  we  couldn't  induce  the  captain  to 
talk  reasonably  to  us.  As  for  a  vessel,  there's  the 
Arato." 

"Your  vessel?"  said  the  other. 

"Yes,  I  own  a  small  share  in  her,  and  she's  here 
in  port  now,  waiting  for  a  cargo." 

"I  forget  what  sort  of  a  craft  she  is,"  said  Nunez. 

"She's  a  schooner,"  said  the  other,  "and  she  can  sail 
two  miles  to  the  Miranda's  one  in  any  kind  of  weather. 
If  I  had  money  enough,  I  could  get  the  Arato,  put  a 
good  crew  on  board,  and  be  at  sea  and  on  the  wake 
of  that  brig  in  twenty-four  hours." 

"And  how  much  money  would  be  needed?"  asked 
the  other. 

"That  remains  to  be  calculated,"  replied  Cardatas. 
Then  the  two  went  to  work  to  calculate,  and  spent  an 
hour  or  two  at  it. 

When  they  parted,  Nunez  had  not  made  up  his 
mind  that  the  plan  of  Cardatas  was  a  good  one,  but 
he  told  him  to  go  ahead  and  see  what  could  be  done 
about  getting  the  Arato  and  a  reliable  crew,  and  that 
he  would  talk  further  to  him  about  the  matter. 

That  night  Nunez  took  a  train  for  Santiago,  and  on 
his  arrival  there,  the  next  morning,  he  went  straight 

314 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

to  the  shop  of  the  jeweller  of  whom  had  been  obtained 
the  piece  of  gold  in  his  possession.  Here  he  made 
some  cautious  inquiries,  and  found  the  jeweller  very 
ready  to  talk  about  the  piece  of  gold  that  Nunez 
showed  him.  The  jeweller  said  that  he  had  had  four 
pieces  of  the  gold  in  his  possession,  and  that  he  had 
bought  them  in  Lima  to  use  in  his  business.  They 
had  originally  come  from  California,  and  were  very 
fine  gold.  He  had  been  a  little  curious  about  it  on 
account  of  the  shape  of  the  pieces,  and  had  been  told 
that  they  had  been  brought  into  the  country  by  an 
American  sea-captain,  who  had  seemed  to  have  a  good 
many  of  them.  The  jeweller  thought  it  very  likely 
that  these  pieces  of  gold  passed  for  currency  in  Cali 
fornia,  for  he  had  heard  that  at  one  time  the  people 
there  had  had  to  make  their  own  currency,  and  that 
they  often  paid  for  merchandise  in  so  many  penny 
weights  and  ounces  of  gold  instead  of  using  coin.  The 
jeweller  was  himself  very  glad  to  do  business  in  this 
way,  for  he  liked  the  feel  of  a  lump  of  gold. 

After  explaining  that  his  reason  for  making  these 
inquiries  was  his  fear  that  the  piece  of  gold  he  had 
accepted  in  trade  because  he  also  liked  the  feel  of 
lumps  of  gold,  might  not  be  worth  what  he  had  given 
for  it,  Nunez  thanked  the  jeweller,  left  him,  and 
returned  to  Valparaiso.  He  went  straight  to  his 
friend  Cardatas,  and  said  that  he  would  furnish  the 
capital  to  fit  out  the  Arato  for  the  projected  trip. 

It  was  not  in  twenty-four  hours,  but  in  forty-eight, 
that  the  schooner  Arato  cleared  from  Valparaiso  for 
Callao  in  ballast.  She  had  a  good  set  of  sails,  and  a 
crew  of  ten  men  besides  the  captain.  She  also  had 
on  board  a  passenger,  Nunez  by  name,  and  a  tall 

315 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

negro,  who  doubtless  could  turn  his  hand  to  some  sort 
of  work  on  board,  and  whom  it  would  have  been  very 
indiscreet  to  leave  behind. 

Once  outside  the  harbor,  the  Arato  changed  her  mind 
about  going  to  Callao,  and  sailed  southward. 


316 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

THE    COAST   OF   PATAGONIA 

FOB  about  ten  days  after  the  brig  Miranda  left  Valpa 
raiso  she  had  good  winds  and  fair  weather,  and  her 
progress  was  satisfactory  to  all  on  board,  but  at  the 
end  of  that  time  she  entered  upon  a  season  of  head 
winds  and  bad  weather.  The  vessel  behaved  very 
well  in  the  stormy  days  that  followed,  but  she  made 
very  little  headway.  Her  course  was  now  laid  toward 
the  Gulf  of  Penas,  after  reaching  which  she  would  sail 
along  the  protected  waterways  between  the  chain  of 
islands  which  lie  along  the  coast  and  the  mainland, 
and  which  lead  into  the  Straits  of  Magellan. 

When  the  weather  at  last  changed  and  the  sea  be 
came  smoother,  it  was  found  that  the  working  and 
straining  of  the  masts  during  the  violent  weather  had 
opened  some  of  the  seams  of  the  brig,  and  that  she 
was  taking  in  water.  She  was  a  good  vessel,  but  she 
was  an  old  one,  and  she  had  had  a  rough  time  of  it. 
The  captain  thanked  his  stars  that  she  had  not  begun 
to  leak  before  the  storm. 

The  short-handed  crew  went  to  work  at  the  pumps, 
but,  after  two  days'  hard  labor,  it  was  found  that  the 
water  in  the  hold  steadily  gained  upon  the  pumps, 

317 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

and  there  was  no  doubt  that  the  Miranda  was  badly 
strained.  According  to  a  report  from  Burke,  the 
water  came  in  forward,  aft,  and  midships.  Matters 
were  now  getting  very  serious,  and  the  captain  and 
his  two  mates  consulted  together,  while  the  three 
negroes  pumped.  It  was  plain  to  all  of  them  that 
if  the  water  kept  on  gaining,  it  would  not  be  long 
before  the  brig  must  go  to  the  bottom.  To  keep 
her  afloat  until  they  reached  a  port  would  be  im 
possible.  To  reach  the  shore  in  the  boats  was  quite 
possible,  for  they  were  not  a  hundred  miles  from  land. 
But  to  carry  their  treasure  to  land  in  two  small  boats 
was  a  thing  which  need  not  even  be  considered. 

All  agreed  that  there  was  but  one  thing  to  be  done. 
The  brig  must  be  headed  to  land,  and  if  she  could  be 
kept  afloat  until  she  neared  one  of  the  great  islands 
which  lie  along  the  Patagonian  coast,  she  might  be 
run  into  some  bay  or  protected  cove,  where  she  could 
be  beached,  or  where,  if  she  should  sink,  it  might  be 
in  water  so  shallow  that  all  hope  of  getting  at  her 
treasure  would  not  have  to  be  abandoned.  In  any 
case,  the  sooner  they  got  to  the  shore,  the  better  for 
them.  So  the  brig's  bow  was  turned  eastward,  and 
the  pumps  were  worked  harder  than  ever.  There 
was  a  good  wind,  and,  considering  that  the  Miranda 
was  steadily  settling  deeper  and  deeper,  she  made 
very  fair  progress,  and  in  less  than  two  days  after  she 
had  changed  her  course,  land  was  sighted.  Not  long 
after,  Captain  Horn  began  to  hope  that  if  the  wind 
held,  and  the  brig  could  keep  above  water  for  an 
hour  or  so,  he  could  double  a  small  headland  which 
now  showed  itself  plainly  a  couple  of  miles  away,  and 
might  be  able  to  beach  his  vessel. 

318 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

What  a  dreary,  depressing  hope  it  was  that  now 
possessed  the  souls  of  Captain  Horn,  of  Burke  and 
Shirley,  and  of  even  the  three  negroes  !  After  all  the 
hardships,  the  labor,  and  the  anxieties,  after  all 
the  joy  of  success  and  escape  from  danger,  after  all 
happy  chances  which  had  come  in  various  ways  and 
from  various  directions,  after  the  sweet  delights  of 
rest,  after  the  super-exultation  of  anticipation  which 
no  one  on  board  had  been  able  to  banish  from  his 
mind,  there  was  nothing  left  to  them  now  but  the 
eager  desire  that  their  vessel  might  keep  afloat  until 
she  could  find  some  friendly  sands  on  which  she  might 
be  run,  or  some  shallow  water  in  which  she  might  sink 
and  rest  there  on  the  wild  Patagonian  coast,  leaving 
them  far  from  human  beings  of  any  kind,  far  from 
help,  far,  perhaps,  from  rescue  and  even  safety. 

To  this  one  object  each  man  gave  his  entire  energy, 
his  mind,  and  his  body.  Steadily  went  the  pumps, 
steadily  the  captain  kept  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  ap 
proaching  headland,  and  upon  the  waters  beyond, 
and  steadily,  little  by  little,  the  Miranda  sunk  lower 
and  lower  into  the  sea. 

At  last  the  headland  was  reached,  and  on  its  ocean 
side  the  surf  beat  high.  Keeping  well  away  to  avoid 
shoals  or  a  bar,  the  Miranda  passed  the  southern 
point  of  the  headland,  and  slowly  sailed  into  a  little 
bay.  To  the  left  lay  the  rocky  ridge  which  formed 
the  headland,  and  less  than  half  a  mile  away  could  be 
seen  the  shining  sands  of  the  smooth  beach.  Toward 
this  beach  the  Miranda  was  now  headed,  every  sail 
upon  her  set,  and  every  nerve  upon  her  strung  to 
its  tightest.  They  went  in  upon  a  flood-tide.  If  he 
had  believed  that  the  brig  would  float  so  long,  Cap- 

319 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

tain  Horn  would  have  waited  an  hour  until  the  tide 
was  high,  so  that  he  might  run  his  vessel  farther  up 
upon  the  beach,  but  he  could  not  wait,  and  with  a 
strong  west  wind  he  steered  straight  for  the  sands. 

There  was  a  hissing  under  the  bows,  and  a  shock 
which  ran  through  the  vessel  from  stem  to  stern,  and 
then  grinding  and  grinding  and  grinding  until  all 
motion  ceased,  and  a  gentle  surf  began  to  curl  itself 
against  the  stern  of  the  brig. 

Every  halliard  was  let  go,  and  down  came  every  sail 
by  the  run,  and  then  the  brig  Miranda  ended  this 
voyage,  and  all  others,  upon  the  shore  of  a  desolate 
Patagonian  island. 

Between  the  vessel  and  dry  land  there  was  about  a 
hundred  feet  of  water,  but  this  would  be  much  less 
when  the  tide  went  out.  Beyond  the  beach  was  a 
stretch  of  sandy  hillocks,  or  dunes,  and  back  of  these 
was  a  mass  of  scrubby  thicket,  with  here  and  there  a 
low  tree,  and  still  farther  back  was  seen  the  beginning 
of  what  might  be  a  forest.  It  was  a  different  coast 
from  the  desolate  shores  of  Peru. 

Burke  came  aft  to  the  captain. 

"Here  we  are,  sir,"  said  he,  "and  what's  to  happen 
next?" 

"Happen ! "  exclaimed  the  captain.  "We  must 
not  wait  for  things  to  happen !  What  we've  got  to 
do  is  to  step  around  lively,  and  get  the  gold  out  of 
this  brig  before  the  wind  changes  and  drives  her  out 
into  deep  water." 

Burke  put  his  hands  into  his  pockets.  "Is  there 
any  good  of  it,  captain?"  said  he.  "Will  we  be  any 
better  off  with  the  bags  on  that  shore  than  we  would 
be  if  they  were  sunk  in  this  bay  ? " 

320 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Good  of  it ! "  exclaimed  the  captain.  "Don't  talk 
that  way,  Burke.  If  we  can  get  it  on  shore,  there  is 
a  chance  for  us.  But  if  it  goes  to  the  bottom,  out  in 
deep  water,  there  is  none.  There  is  no  time  to  talk 
now.  What  we  must  do  is  to  go  to  work." 

"Yes,"  said  Burke,  "whatever  happens,  it  is  always 
work.  But  I'm  in  for  it,  as  long  as  I  hold  together. 
But  we've  got  to  look  out  that  some  of  those  black 
fellows  don't  drop  over  the  bow,  and  give  us  the 
slip." 

"They'll  starve  if  they  do,"  said  the  captain,  "for 
not  a  biscuit,  or  a  drop  of  water,  goes  ashore  until  the 
gold  is  out  of  the  hold." 

Burke  shook  his  head.  ""We'll  do  what  we  can, 
captain,"  said  he,  "but  that  hold's  a  regular  fish 
pond,  and  we'll  have  to  dive  for  the  bags." 

"All  right,"  said  the  captain,  "dive  let  it  be." 

The  work  of  removing  the  gold  began  immediately. 
Tackle  was  rigged.  The  negroes  went  below  to  get 
out  the  bags,  which  were  hauled  up  to  the  deck  in  a 
tub.  When  a  moderate  boat-load  had  been  taken 
out,  a  boat  was  lowered  and  manned,  and  the  bags 
passed  down  to  it. 

In  the  first  boat  the  captain  went  ashore.  He  con 
sidered  it  wise  to  land  the  treasure  as  fast  as  it  could 
be  taken  out  of  the  hold,  for  no  one  could  know  at 
what  time,  whether  on  account  of  wind  from  shore 
or  waves  from  the  sea,  the  vessel  might  slip  out  into 
deep  water.  This  was  a  slower  method  than  if  every 
body  had  worked  at  getting  the  gold  on  deck,  and 
then  everybody  had  worked  at  getting  it  ashore,  but 
it  was  a  safer  plan  than  the  other,  for  if  an  accident 
should  occur,  if  the  brig  should  be  driven  off  the  sand, 

321 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

they  would  have  whatever  they  had  already  landed. 
As  this  thought  passed  through  the  mind  of  the  cap 
tain,  he  could  not  help  a  dismal  smile. 

"Have  !"  said  he  to  himself.  "It  may  be  that  we 
shall  have  it  as  that  poor  fellow  had  his  bag  of  gold, 
when  he  lay  down  on  his  back  to  die  there  in  the  wild 
desert." 

But  no  one  would  have  imagined  that  such  an  idea 
had  come  into  the  captain's  mind.  He  worked  as 
earnestly,  and  as  steadily,  as  if  he  had  been  landing 
an  ordinary  cargo  at  an  ordinary  dock. 

The  captain  and  the  men  in  the  boat  carried  the 
bags  high  up  on  the  beach,  out  of  any  danger  from 
tide  or  surf,  and  laid  them  in  a  line  along  the  sand. 
The  captain  ordered  this  because  it  would  be  easier 
to  handle  them  afterwards — if  it  should  ever  be  neces 
sary  to  handle  them— than  if  they  had  been  thrown 
into  piles.  If  they  should  conclude  to  bury  them,  it 
would  be  easier  and  quicker  to  dig  a  trench  along  the 
line,  and  tumble  them  in,  than  to  make  the  deep  holes 
that  would  otherwise  be  necessary. 

Until  dark  that  day,  and  even  after  dark,  they 
worked,  stopping  only  for  necessary  eating  and  drink 
ing.  The  line  of  bags  upon  the  shore  had  grown  into 
a  double  one,  and  it  became  necessary  for  the  men, 
sometimes  the  white  and  sometimes  the  black,  to  stoop 
deeper  and  deeper  into  the  water  of  the  hold  to  reach 
the  bags.  But  they  worked  on  bravely.  In  the  early 
dawn  of  the  next  morning  they  went  to  work  again. 
Not  a  negro  had  given  the  ship  the  slip,  nor  were 
there  any  signs  that  one  of  them  had  thought  of  such 
a  thing. 

Backward  and  forward  through  the  low  surf  went 
322 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  boat,  and  longer  and  wider  and  higher  grew  the 
mass  of  bags  upon  the  beach. 

It  was  the  third  day  after  they  had  reached  shore 
that  the  work  was  finished.  Every  dripping  bag  had 
been  taken  out  of  the  hold,  and  the  captain  had 
counted  them  all  as  they  had  been  put  ashore,  and 
verified  the  number  by  the  record  in  his  pocket-book. 

When  the  lower  tiers  of  bags  had  been  reached, 
they  had  tried  pumping  out  the  water,  but  this  was 
of  little  use.  The  brig  had  keeled  over  on  her  star 
board  side,  and  early  in  the  morning  of  the  third  day, 
when  the  tide  was  running  out,  a  hole  had  been  cut 
in  that  side  of  the  vessel,  out  of  which  a  great  portion 
of  the  water  she  contained  had  run.  It  would  all 
come  in  again,  and  more  of  it,  when  the  tide  rose,  but 
they  were  sure  they  could  get  through  their  work  be 
fore  that,  and  they  were  right.  The  bags  now  lay 
upon  the  beach  in  the  shape  of  a  long  mound,  not 
more  than  three  feet  high,  and  about  four  rows  wide 
at  the  bottom  and  two  at  the  top.  The  captain  had 
superintended  the  arrangement  of  the  bags,  and  had 
so  shaped  the  mass  that  it  somewhat  resembled  in 
form  the  dunes  of  sand  which  lay  behind  it.  No  mat 
ter  what  might  be  their  next  step,  it  would  probably 
be  advisable  to  conceal  the  bags,  and  the  captain  had 
thought  that  the  best  way  to  do  this  would  be  to 
throw  sand  over  the  long  mound,  in  which  work  the 
prevailing  western  winds  would  be  likely  to  assist, 
and  thus  make  it  look  like  a  natural  sand-hill.  Burke 
and  Shirley  were  in  favor  of  burial,  but  the  considera 
tion  of  this  matter  was  deferred,  for  there  was  more 
work  to  be  done,  which  must  be  attended  to  immedi 
ately. 

323 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Now  provisions,  water,  and  everything  else  that 
might  be  of  value  was  taken  out  of  the  brig  and  car 
ried  to  shore.  Two  tents  were  constructed  out  of 
sails  and  spars,  and  the  little  party  established  them 
selves  upon  the  beach.  What  would  be  their  next 
work  they  knew  not,  but  they  must  first  rest  from 
their  long  season  of  heavy  labor.  The  last  days  had 
been  harder  even  than  the  days  of  storm  and  the  days 
of  pumping.  They  had  eaten  hurriedly  and  slept  but 
little.  Regular  watches  and  irregular  watches  had 
been  kept — watches  against  storm,  which  might  sweep 
the  brig  with  all  on  board  out  to  sea,  watches  against 
desertion,  watches  against  they  knew  not  what.  As 
chief  watcher,  the  captain  had  scarcely  slept  at  all. 

It  had  been  dreary  work,  unrelieved  by  hope,  un- 
cheered  by  prospect  of  success ;  for  not  one  of  them, 
from  the  captain  down,  had  any  definite  idea  as  to 
what  was  to  be  done  after  they  had  rested  enough 
to  act. 

But  they  rested,  and  they  went  so  far  as  to  fill 
their  pipes  and  stretch  themselves  upon  the  sand. 
When  night  came  on,  chilly  and  dark,  they  gathered 
driftwood  and  dead  branches  from  the  thicket  and 
built  a  camp-fire.  They  sat  around  it,  and  smoked 
their  pipes,  but  they  did  not  tell  stories,  nor  did  they 
talk  very  much.  They  were  glad  to  rest,  they  were 
glad  to  keep  warm,  but  that  was  all.  The  only  really 
cheerful  thing  upon  the  beach  was  the  fire,  which 
leaped  high  and  blazed  merrily  as  the  dried  wood 
was  heaped  upon  it. 


324 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 

SHIRLEY    SPIES    A    SAIL 

WHEN  the  Arato  changed  her  mind  about  going  to  Cal- 
lao,  and  sailed  southward  some  five  days  after  the  Mi 
randa  had  started  on  the  same  course,  she  had  very  good 
weather  for  the  greater  part  of  a  week,  and  sailed 
finely.  Cardatas,  who  owned  a  share  in  her,  had 
sailed  upon  her  as  first  mate,  but  he  had  never  before 
commanded  her.  He  was  a  good  navigator,  however, 
and  well  fitted  for  the  task  he  had  undertaken.  He 
was  a  sharp  fellow,  and  kept  his  eyes  on  everybody, 
particularly  upon  Nunez,  who,  although  a  landsman, 
and  in  no  wise  capable  of  sailing  a  ship,  was  perfectly 
capable  of  making  plans  regarding  any  vessel  in 
which  he  was  interested,  especially  when  such  a  vessel 
happened  to  be  sailing  in  pursuit  of  treasure,  the  value 
of  which  was  merely  a  matter  of  conjecture.  It  was 
not  impossible  that  the  horse-dealer,  who  had  em 
barked  money  in  this  venture,  might  think  that  one 
of  the  mariners  on  board  might  be  able  to  sail  the 
schooner  as  well  as  Cardatas,  and  would  not  expect  so 
large  a  share  of  the  profits  should  the  voyage  be  suc 
cessful.  But  when  the  storms  came  on,  Nunez  grew 
sick  and  unhappy,  and  retired  below,  and  he  troubled 
the  mind  of  Cardatas  no  more  for  the  present. 

325 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

The  Arato  sailed  well  with  a  fair  wind,  but  in  many 
respects  she  was  not  as  good  a  sea-boat  in  a  storm  as 
the  Miranda  had  proved  to  be,  and  she  had  been 
obliged  to  lie  to  a  great  deal  through  the  days  and 
nights  of  high  winds  and  heavy  seas.  Having  never 
had,  until  now,  the  responsibility  of  a  vessel  upon  him, 
Cardatas  was  a  good  deal  more  cautious  and  prudent, 
perhaps,  than  Captain  Horn  would  have  been  had  he 
been  in  command  of  the  Arato.  Among  other  methods 
of  precaution  which  Cardatas  thought  it  wise  to  take, 
he  steered  well  out  from  the  coast,  and  thus  greatly 
lengthened  his  course,  and  at  last,  when  a  clearing 
sky  enabled  him  to  take  an  observation,  he  found 
himself  so  far  to  the  westward  that  he  changed  his 
course  entirely  and  steered  for  the  southeast. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  retarding  circumstances, 
Cardatas  did  not  despair  of  overhauling  the  Miranda. 
He  was  sure  she  would  make  for  the  Straits,  and  he 
did  not  in  the  least  doubt  that,  with  good  winds,  he 
could  overtake  her  before  she  reached  them,  and  even 
if  she  did  get  out  of  them,  he  could  still  follow  her. 
His  belief  that  the  Arato  could  sail  two  miles  to  the 
Miranda's  one  was  still  unshaken.  The  only  real  fear 
he  had  was  that  the  Miranda  might  have  foundered 
in  the  storm.  If  that  should  happen  to  be  the  case, 
their  voyage  would  be  a  losing  one,  indeed,  but  he 
said  nothing  of  his  fears  to  Nunez. 

The  horse-dealer  was  now  on  deck  again,  in  pretty 
fair  condition,  but  he  was  beginning  to  be  despondent. 
After  such  an  awful  storm,  and  in  all  that  chaos  of 
waves,  what  chance  was  there  of  finding  a  little  brig 
such  as  they  were  after? 

"But  vessels  sail  in  regular  courses,"  Cardatas  said 
326 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

to  him.  "They  don't  go  meandering  all  over  the  ocean. 
If  they  are  bound  for  any  particular  place,  they  go 
there  on  the  shortest  safe  line  they  can  lay  down  on 
the  map.  We  can  go  on  that  line,  too,  although  we 
may  be  thrown  out  of  it  by  storms.  But  we  can 
strike  it  again,  and  then  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  keep 
on  it  as  straight  as  we  can,  and  we  are  bound  to  over 
take  another  vessel  on  the  same  course,  provided  we 
sail  faster  than  she  does.  It  is  all  plain  enough,  don't 
you  see  ? " 

Nunez  could  not  help  seeing,  but  he  was  a  little 
cross,  nevertheless.  The  map  and  the  ocean  were 
wonderfully  different. 

The  wind  had  changed,  and  the  Arato  did  not  make 
very  good  sailing  on  her  southeastern  course.  High  as 
was  her  captain's  opinion  of  her,  she  never  had  sailed, 
nor  ever  could  sail,  two  miles  to  the  Miranda's  one,  al 
though  she  was  a  good  deal  faster  than  the  brig.  But 
she  was  fairly  well  handled,  and  in  due  course  of 
time  she  approached  so  near  the  coast  that  her  look 
out  sighted  land,  which  land  Cardatas,  consulting 
his  chart,  concluded  must  be  one  of  the  Patagonian 
islands  to  the  north  of  the  Gulf  of  Penas. 

As  night  came  on,  Cardatas  determined  to  change 
his  course  somewhat  to  the  south,  as  he  did  not  care 
to  trust  himself  too  near  the  coast,  when  suddenly  the 
lookout  reported  a  light  on  the  port  bow.  Cardatas 
had  sailed  down  this  coast  before,  but  he  had  never 
heard  of  a  lighthouse  in  the  region,  and  with  his  glass 
he  watched  the  light.  But  he  could  not  make  it  out. 
It  was  a  strange  light,  for  sometimes  it  was  bright 
and  sometimes  dull,  then  it  would  increase  greatly  and 
almost  fade  away  again. 

327 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

"It  looks  like  a  fire  on  shore,"  said  he,  and  some  of 
the  other  men  who  took  the  glass  agreed  with  him. 

"And  what  does  that  mean?"  asked  Nunez. 

"I  don't  know,"  replied  Cardatas,  curtly.  "  How 
should  I  ?  But  one  thing  I  do  know,  and  that  is  that 
I  shall  lie  to  until  morning,  and  then  we  can  feel  our 
way  near  to  the  coast  and  see  what  it  does  mean." 

"But  what  do  you  want  to  know  for?"  asked 
Nunez.  "I  suppose  somebody  on  shore  has  built  a  fire. 
Is  there  any  good  stopping  for  that?  We  have  lost  a 
lot  of  time  already." 

"I  am  going  to  lie  to,  anyway,"  said  Cardatas. 
"  "When  we  are  on  such  business  as  ours,  we  should 
not  pass  anything  without  understanding  it." 

Cardatas  had  always  supposed  that  these  islands 
were  uninhabited,  and  he  could  not  see  why  anybody 
should  be  on  one  of  them  making  a  fire,  unless  it  were 
a  case  of  shipwreck.  If  a  ship  had  been  wrecked,  it 
was  not  at  all  impossible  that  the  Miranda  might  be 
the  unfortunate  vessel.  In  any  case,  it  would  be  wise 
to  lie  to,  and  look  into  the  matter  by  daylight.  If 
the  Miranda  had  gone  down  at  sea,  and  her  crew  had 
reached  land  in  boats,  the  success  of  the  Aratd's  voy 
age  would  be  very  dubious.  And  should  this  misfor 
tune  have  happened,  he  must  be  careful  about  Nunez 
when  he  came  to  hear  of  it.  When  he  turned  into 
his  hammock  that  night,  Cardatas  had  made  up  his 
mind  that,  if  he  should  discover  that  the  Miranda  had 
gone  to  the  bottom,  it  would  be  a  very  good  thing  if 
arrangements  could  be  made  for  Nunez  to  follow  her. 

That  night  the  crew  of  the  Miranda  slept  well  and 
enjoyed  the  first  real  rest  they  had  had  since  the 
storm.  No  watch  was  kept,  for  they  all  thought  it 

328 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

would  be  an  unnecessary  hardship.  The  captain 
awoke  at  early  dawn,  and,  as  he  stepped  out  of  the 
tent,  he  glanced  over  sea  and  land.  There  were  no 
signs  of  storm,  the  brig  had  not  slipped  out  into  deep 
water,  their  boats  were  still  high  and  dry  upon  the 
beach,  and  there  was  something  encouraging  in  the 
soft,  early  light  and  the  pleasant  morning  air.  He 
was  surprised,  however,  to  find  that  he  was  not  the 
first  man  out.  On  a  piece  of  higher  ground,  a  little 
back  from  the  tents,  Shirley  was  standing,  a  glass  to 
his  eye. 

"What  do  you  see1? "  cried  the  captain. 

"A  sail ! "  returned  Shirley. 

At  this  every  man  in  the  tents  came  running  out. 
Even  to  the  negroes  the  words,  "A  sail,"  had  the 
startling  effect  which  they  always  have  upon  ship 
wrecked  men. 

The  effect  upon  Captain  Horn  was  a  strange  one, 
and  he  could  scarcely  understand  it  himself.  It  was 
amazing  that  succor,  if  succor  it  should  prove  to  be, 
had  arrived  so  quickly  after  their  disaster.  But  not 
withstanding  the  fact  that  he  would  be  overjoyed  to 
be  taken  off  that  desolate  coast,  'he  could  not  help  a 
strong  feeling  of  regret  that  a  sail  had  appeared  so 
soon.  If  they  had  had  time  to  conceal  their  treasure, 
all  might  have  been  well.  "With  the  bags  of  gold 
buried  in  a  trench,  or  covered  with  sand  so  as  to  look 
like  a  natural  mound,  he  and  his  sailors  might  have 
been  taken  off  merely  as  shipwrecked  sailors,  and  car 
ried  to  some  port  where  he  might  charter  another 
vessel  and  come  back  after  his  gold.  But  now  he 
knew  that  whoever  landed  on  this  beach  must  know 
everything,  for  it  would  be  impossible  to  conceal  the 

329 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

contents  of  that  long  pile  of  bags,  and  what  conse 
quences  might  follow  upon  such  knowledge  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  imagine.  Burke  had  very  much 
the  same  idea. 

"By  George,  captain !"  said  he,  "it  is  a  great  pity 
that  she  came  along  so  soon.  What  do  you  say  ?  Shall 
we  signal  her  or  not?  We  want  to  get  away,  but  it 
would  be  beastly  awkward  for  anybody  to  come  ashore 
just  now.  I  wish  we  had  buried  the  bags  as  fast  as 
we  brought  them  ashore." 

The  captain  did  not  answer.  Perhaps  it  might  be 
as  well  not  to  signal  her.  And  yet,  this  might  be  their 
only  chance  of  rescue  ! 

"What  do  you  say  to  jumping  into  the  boats  and 
rowing  out  to  meet  them?"  asked  Burke.  "We'd 
have  to  leave  the  bags  uncovered,  but  we  might  get 
to  a  port,  charter  some  sort  of  a  craft,  and  get  back 
for  the  bags  before  any  other  vessel  came  so  near  the 
coast," 

"I  don't  see  what  made  this  one  come  so  near,"  said 
Shirley,  "unless  it  was  our  fire  last  night.  She  might 
have  thought  that  was  a  signal." 

"I  shouldn't  wonder,"  said  the  captain,  who  held 
the  glass.  "But  we  needn't  trouble  ourselves  about 
going  out  in  boats,  for  she  is  making  straight  for 
land." 

"That's  so,"  said  Shirley,  who  could  now  see  this 
for  himself,  for  the  light  was  rapidly  growing  stronger. 
"She  must  have  seen  our  fire  last  night.  Shall  I  hoist 
a  signal  ? " 

"No,"  said  the  captain.     "Wait ! " 

They  waited  to  see  what  this  vessel  was  going  to 
do.  Perhaps  she  was  only  tacking.  But  what  fool  of 

330 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

a  skipper  would  run  so  close  to  the  shore  for  the  sake 
of  tacking  !  They  watched  her  eagerly,  but  not  one 
of  the  white  men  would  have  been  wholly  disappointed 
if  the  schooner,  which  they  could  now  easily  make 
out,  had  changed  her  course  and  gone  off  on  a  long 
tack  to  the  southwest. 

But  she  was  not  tacking.  She  came  rapidly  on  te- 
fore  a  stiff  west  wind.  There  was  no  need  of  getting 
out  boats  to  go  to  meet  her.  She  was  south  of  the 
headland,  but  was  steering  directly  toward  it.  They 
could  see  what  sort  of  craft  she  was— a  long  schooner, 
painted  green,  with  all  sails  set.  Very  soon  they 
could  see  the  heads  of  the  men  on  board.  Then  she 
came  nearer  and  nearer  to  land,  until  she  was  less  than 
half  a  mile  from  shore.  Then  she  shot  into  the  wind ; 
her  sails  fluttered ;  she  lay  almost  motionless,  and  her 
head-sails  were  lowered. 

"That's  just  as  if  they  were  coming  into  port,"  said 
Burke. 

"Yes,"  said  Shirley.  "I  expect  they  intend  to  drop 
anchor." 

This  surmise  was  correct,  for,  as  he  spoke,  the 
anchor  went  down  with  a  splash. 

"They're  very  business-like,"  said  Burke.  "Look 
at  them.  They  are  lowering  a  boat." 

"A  boat!"  exclaimed  Shirley.  "They're  lowering 
two  of  them." 

The  captain  knit  his  brows.  This  was  extraordi 
nary  action  on  the  part  of  the  vessel.  Why  did 
she  steer  so  straight  for  land?  Why  did  she  so 
quickly  drop  anchor  and  put  out  two  boats?  Could 
it  be  that  this  vessel  had  been  on  their  track?  Could 
it  be  that  the  Peruvian  government—  But  he  could 

331 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

not  waste  time  in  surmise  as  to  what  might  be.     They 
must  act,  not  conjecture. 

It  was  not  a  minute  before  the  captain  made  up 
his  mind  how  they  should  act.  Five  men  were  in 
each  boat,  and  with  a  glass  it  was  easy  to  see  that 
some  of  them  carried  guns. 

"Get  your  rifles !"  cried  he  to  Shirley  and  Burke, 
and  he  rushed  for  his  own. 

The  arms  and  ammunition  had  been  all  laid  ready 
in  the  tent,  and  in  a  moment  each  one  of  the  white 
men  had  a  rifle  and  a  belt  of  cartridges.  For  the 
blacks  there  were  no  guns,  as  they  would  not  have 
known  how  to  use  them,  but  they  ran  about  in  great 
excitement,  each  with  his  knife  drawn,  blindly  ready 
to  do  whatever  should  be  ordered.  The  poor  negroes 
were  greatly  frightened.  They  had  but  one  idea 
about  the  approaching  boats :  they  believed  that  the 
men  in  them  were  Eackbirds  coming  to  wreak  ven 
geance  upon  them.  The  same  idea  had  come  into  the 
mind  of  the  captain.  Some  of  the  Rackbirds  had 
gone  back  to  the  cove.  They  had  known  that  there 
had  been  people  there.  They  had  made  investigations, 
and  found  the  cave  and  the  empty  mound,  and  in  some 
way  had  discovered  that  the  Miranda  had  gone  off 
with  its  contents.  Perhaps  the  black  fellow  who  had 
deserted  the  vessel  at  Valparaiso  had  betrayed  them. 
He  hurriedly  mentioned  his  suspicions  to  his  com 
panions. 

"I  shouldn't  wonder,"  said  Burke,  "if  that  Inkspot 
had  done  it.  Perhaps  he  could  talk  a  good  deal  bet 
ter  than  we  thought.  But  I  vow  I  wouldn't  have 
supposed  that  he  would  be  the  man  to  go  back  on  us. 
I  thought  he  was  the  best  of  the  lot." 

332 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Get  behind  that  wall  of  bags,"  cried  the  captain, 
"every  one  of  you.  Whoever  they  are,  we  will  talk 
to  them  over  a  breastwork." 

"I  think  we  shall  have  to  do  more  than  talk,"  said 
Burke,  "for  a  blind  man  could  see  that  there  are 
guns  in  those  boats." 


333 


CHAPTER  XL 


THE  five  men  now  got  behind  the  barrier  of  bags,  but, 
before  following  them,  Captain  Horn,  with  the  but  of 
his  rifle,  drew  a  long,  deep  furrow  in  the  sand  about 
a  hundred  feet  from  the  breastwork  of  bags,  and  par 
allel  with  it.  Then  he  quickly  joined  the  others. 

The  three  white  men  stationed  themselves  a  little 
distance  apart,  and  each  moved  a  few  of  the  top  bags 
so  as  to  get  a  good  sight  between  them,  and  not  ex 
pose  themselves  too  much. 

As  the  boats  came  on,  the  negroes  crouched  on  the 
sand,  entirely  out  of  sight,  while  Shirley  and  Burke 
each  knelt  down  behind  the  barrier,  with  his  rifle  laid 
in  a  crevice  in  the  top.  The  captain's  rifle  was  in 
his  hand,  but  he  did  not  yet  prepare  for  action.  He 
stooped  down,  but  his  head  was  sufficiently  above  the 
barrier  to  observe  everything. 

The  two  boats  came  rapidly  on,  and  were  run  up  on 
the  beach,  and  the  men  jumped  out  and  drew  them 
up,  high  and  safe.  Then,  without  the  slightest  hesita 
tion,  the  ten  of  them,  each  with  a  gun  in  his  hand, 
advanced  in  a  body  toward  the  line  of  bags. 

"Ahoy  ! "  shouted  the  captain,  suddenly  rising  from 

334 


behind  the  barrier.  "Who  are  you,  and  what  do  you 
want?"  He  said  this  in  English,  but  immediately 
repeated  it  in  Spanish. 

"Ahoy,  there  ! "  cried  Cardatas.  "Are  you  Captain 
Horn?" 

"Yes,  I  am,"  said  the  captain,  "and  you  must  halt 
where  you  are.  The  first  man  who  passes  that  line  is 
shot." 

Cardatas  laughed,  and  so  did  some  of  the  others, 
but  they  all  stopped. 

"We'll  stop  here  a  minute  to  oblige  you,"  said  Car 
datas,  "but  we've  got  something  to  say  to  you,  and 
you  might  as  well  listen  to  it." 

Shirley  and  Burke  did  not  understand  a  word  of 
these  remarks,  for  they  did  not  know  Spanish,  but 
each  of  them  kept  his  eye  running  along  the  line  of 
men  who  still  stood  on  the  other  side  of  the  furrow 
the  captain  had  made  in  the  sand,  and  if  one  of  them 
had  raised  his  gun  to  fire  at  their  skipper,  it  is 
probable  that  he  would  have  dropped.  Shirley  and 
Burke  had  been  born  and  bred  in  the  country ;  they 
were  hunters,  and  were  both  good  shots.  It  was  on 
account  of  their  fondness  for  sport  that  they  had  been 
separated  from  the  rest  of  their  party  on  the  first  day 
of  the  arrival  of  the  people  from  the  Castor  at  the 
caves. 

"What  have  you  to  say  ?  "  said  the  captain.  "Speak 
quickly." 

Cardatas  did  not  immediately  answer,  for  Nunez 
was  excitedly  talking  to  him.  The  soul  of  the  horse- 
dealer  had  been  inflamed  by  the  sight  of  the  bags. 
He  did  not  suppose  it  possible  that  they  could  all  con 
tain  gold,  but  he  knew  they  must  be  valuable,  or  they 

335 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

would  not  have  been  carried  up  there,  and  he  was 
advising  a  rush  for  the  low  wall. 

"We  will  see  what  we  can  do  with  them,  first,"  said 
Cardatas  to  Nunez.  "Some  of  us  may  be  shot  if  we  are 
in  too  great  a  hurry.  They  are  well  defended  where 
they  are,  and  we  may  have  to  get  round  into  their  rear. 
Then  we  can  settle  their  business  very  well,  for  the 
negro  said  there  were  only  three  white  men.  But 
first  let  us  talk  to  them.  "We  may  manage  them 
without  running  any  risks." 

Cardatas  turned  toward  the  captain,  and  at  the 
same  time  Burke  said  : 

"Captain,  hadn't  you  better  squat  down  a  little? 
You're  making  a  very  fine  mark  of  yourself." 

But  the  captain  still  stood  up  to  listen  to  Cardatas. 

"I'll  tell  you  what  we've  come  for,"  said  the  latter. 
"We  are  not  officers  of  the  law,  but  we  are  the  same 
thing.  We  know  all  about  you  and  the  valuable  stuff 
you've  run  away  with,  and  we've  been  offered  a  re 
ward  to  bring  back  those  bags,  and  to  bring  you  back, 
too,  dead  or  alive,  and  here  we  are,  ready  to  do  it. 
It  was  good  luck  for  us  that  your  vessel  came  to  grief, 
but  we  should  have  got  you,  even  if  she  hadn't.  We 
were  sure  to  overhaul  you  in  the  Straits.  We  know 
all  about  you  and  that  old  hulk,  but  we  are  fair  and 
square  people,  and  we're  sailors,  and  we  don't  want  to 
take  advantage  of  anybody,  especially  of  sailors  who 
have  had  misfortunes.  Now,  the  reward  the  Califor- 
nian  government  has  offered  us  is  not  a  very  big  one, 
and  I  think  you  can  do  better  by  us,  so  if  you'll  agree 
to  come  out  from  behind  that  breastwork  and  talk  to 
us  fair  and  square,  your  two  white  men  and  your  three 
negroes,— you  see,  we  know  all  about  you,— I  think 

336 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

we  can  make  a  bargain  that'll  suit  all  around.  The 
government  of  California  hasn't  any  claim  on  us,  and 
we  don't  see  why  we  should  serve  it  any  more  than 
we  should  serve  you,  and  it  will  be  a  good  deal  better 
for  you  to  be  content  with  half  the  treasure  you've 
gone  off  with,  or  perhaps  a  little  more  than  that,  and 
let  us  have  the  rest.  We  will  take  you  off  on  our 
vessel,  and  land  you  at  any  port  you  want  to  go  to,  and 
you  can  take  your  share  of  the  bags  ashore  with  you. 
Now,  that's  what  I  call  a  fair  offer,  and  I  think  you 
will  say  so,  too." 

Captain  Horn  was  much  relieved  by  part  of  this 
speech.  He  had  had  a  slight  fear,  when  Cardatas 
began,  that  these  men  might  have  been  sent  out  by 
the  Peruvian  government,  but  now  he  saw  they  were 
a  set  of  thieves,  whether  Rackbirds  or  not,  doing  busi 
ness  on  their  own  account. 

"The  Californian  government  has  nothing  to  do 
with  me,"  cried  Captain  Horn,  "and  it  never  had 
anything  to  do  with  you,  either.  When  you  say  that, 
you  lie !  I  am  not  going  to  make  any  bargain  with 
you,  or  have  anything  to  do  with  you.  My  vessel  is 
wrecked,  but  we  can  take  care  of  ourselves.  And  now 
I'll  give  you  five  minutes  to  get  to  your  boats,  and 
the  quicker  you  go,  the  better  for  you  !  " 

At  this,  Nunez  stepped  forward,  his  face  red  with 
passion.  "Look  here,  you  Yankee  thief,"  he  cried, 
"we'll  give  you  just  one  minute  to  come  out  from  be 
hind  that  pile  of  bags.  If  you  don't  come,  we'll — ' 

But  if  he  said  any  more,  Captain  Horn  did  not  hear 
it,  for  at  that  moment  Burke  cried  :  "Drop,  captain  ! " 
And  the  captain  dropped. 

Stung  by  the  insult  he  had  received,  and  unable  to 
337 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

resist  the  temptation  of  putting  an  end  to  the  discus 
sion  by  shooting  Captain  Horn,  Cardatas  raised  his 
rifle  to  his  shoulder,  and  almost  in  the  same  instant 
that  the  captain's  body  disappeared  behind  the  bar 
rier,  he  fired.  But  the  bullet  had  scarcely  left  his 
barrel  when  another  ball,  from  Shirley's  gun,  struck 
Cardatas  under  his  uplifted  left  arm,  and  stretched 
him  on  the  sand. 

A  shock  ran  through  the  attacking  party,  and  in 
stinctively  they  retreated  several  yards.  So  suddenly 
had  they  lost  their  leader  that,  for  a  few  moments, 
they  did  not  seem  to  understand  the  situation.  But, 
on  a  shout  from  one  of  them  to  look  out  for  them 
selves,  every  man  dropped  flat  upon  the  beach,  be 
hind  a  low  bank  of  sand  scarcely  a  foot  high.  This 
was  not  much  protection,  but  it  was  better  than 
standing  up  as  marks  for  the  rifles  behind  the 
barrier. 

The  men  from  the  Arato  were  very  much  surprised 
by  what  had  happened.  They  had  expected  to  have 
an  easy  job  with  the  crew  of  the  Miranda.  As  soon  as 
the  sailor  Sanchez  had  seen  the  stranded  brig,  he  had 
recognized  her,  and  Cardatas,  as  well  as  the  rest  of 
them,  had  thought  that  there  would  be  nothing  to 
do  but  to  go  on  shore  with  a  party  of  well-armed 
men,  and  possess  themselves  of  whatever  treasure  she 
had  brought  to  this  deserted  coast.  But  to  find  her 
crew  strongly  intrenched  and  armed  had  very  much 
amazed  them. 

Nunez's  anger  had  disappeared,  and  his  accustomed 
shrewdness  had  taken  its  place,  for  he  now  saw  that 
very  serious  business  was  before  them.  He  was  not 
much  of  a  soldier,  but  he  knew  enough  to  understand 

338 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

that  in  the  plan  proposed  by  Cardatas  lay  their  only 
hope  of  success.  It  would  be  ridiculous  to  lie  there 
and  waste  their  ammunition  on  that  wall  of  bags.  He 
was  lying  behind  the  others,  and  raised  his  head  just 
enough  to  tell  them  what  they  should  do. 

""VVe  must  get  into  their  rear/'  he  said.  "We  must 
creep  along  the  sand  until  we  reach  those  bushes  up 
there,  and  then  we  can  get  behind  them.  I'll  go  first, 
and  you  can  follow  me." 

At  this,  he  began  to  work  himself  along  the  beach, 
somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  an  earthworm.  But  the 
men  paid  no  attention  to  him.  There  was  little  dis 
cipline  among  them,  and  they  had  no  respect  for  the 
horse-dealer  as  a  commander,  so  they  remained  on 
the  sands,  eagerly  talking  among  themselves.  Some 
of  them  were  frightened,  and  favored  a  rush  for  the 
boats.  But  this  advice  brought  down  curses  from  the 
others.  What  were  three  men  to  nine,  that  they 
should  run  away? 

Burke  now  became  tired  of  waiting  to  see  what 
would  happen  next,  and  putting  his  hat  on  a  little 
stick,  he  raised  it  a  short  distance  above  the  breast 
work.  Instantly  one  of  the  more  excitable  men  from 
the  Arato  fired  at  it. 

"  Very  good,"  said  Burke.  "  They  want  to  keep  it  up, 
do  they?  Now,  captain,"  he  continued,  "we  can  see 
the  backs  and  legs  of  most  of  them.  Shall  we  fire  at 
them?  That  will  be  just  as  good  as  killing  them. 
They  mean  fight— that's  easy  to  see." 

But  the  captain  was  not  willing  to  follow  Burke's 
advice. 

"I  don't  want  to  wound  or  maim  them,"  he  replied. 
"Let's  give  them  a  volley  just  over  their  heads,  and 

339 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

let  them  see  what  we  are  prepared  to  do.  Now,  then, 
when  I  give  the  word ! " 

In  a  few  moments  three  shots  rang  out  from  the 
intrenchment,  and  the  bullets  went  whistling  over  the 
prostrate  bodies  of  the  men  on  the  sand.  But  these 
tactics  did  not  have  the  effect  Captain  Horn  hoped 
for.  They  led  to  no  waving  of  handkerchiefs,  nor  any 
show  of  an  intention  to  treat  with  an  armed  and  in 
trenched  foe.  Instead  of  that,  the  man  Sanchez  sprang 
to  his  feet  and  cried : 

"Come  on,  boys  !  Over  the  wall  and  at  them  before 
they  can  reload  ! " 

At  this  all  the  men  sprang  up  and  dashed  toward 
the  line  of  bags,  Nunez  with  them.  Somebody  might 
get  hurt  in  this  wild  charge,  but  he  must  reach  the 
treasure  as  soon  as  the  others.  He  must  not  fail  in 
that.  But  Sanchez  made  a  great  mistake  when  he 
supposed  that  Captain  Horn  and  his  men  fought  with 
such  arms  as  the  muzzle-loading  rifles  and  shot-guns 
which  the  AraMs  men  had  thought  quite  sufficient  to 
bring  with  them  for  the  work  they  had  to  do.  Cap 
tain  Horn,  when  he  had  fitted  out  the  Miranda,  had 
supplied  himself  and  his  two  white  men  with  fine 
repeating  rifles,  and  the  Arato's  men  had  scarcely 
crossed  the  line  which  had  been  drawn  on  the  sand 
before  there  were  three  shots  from  the  barrier,  and 
three  of  the  enemy  dropped.  Even  the  captain  made 
a  good  shot  this  time. 

At  this  the  attacking]  party  stopped,  and  some  of 
them  shouted,  "To  the  boats  !  "  Nunez  said  nothing, 
for  he  was  dead.  There  had  been  much  straggling  in 
the  line,  and  Shirley  had  singled  him  out  as  one  of  the 
leaders.  Before  one  of  them  had  turned  or  a  retreat 

340 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

begun,  Burke's  rifle  flashed,  and  another  man  fell  over 
against  a  companion,  and  then  down  upon  the  sand. 
The  distance  was  very  short,  and  a  bad  shot  was 
almost  impossible  for  a  good  hunter. 

Now  there  was  no  hesitation.  The  five  men  who  had 
life  and  legs,  turned  and  dashed  for  the  boats.  But 
the  captain  did  not  intend,  now,  that  they  should 
escape,  and  rifle  after  rifle  cracked  from  the  barri 
cade,  and  before  they  reached  the  boats,  four  of  the 
flying  party  had  fallen.  The  fifth  man  stumbled  over 
one  of  his  companions,  who  dropped  in  front  of  him, 
then  rose  to  his  feet,  threw  down  his  gun,  and,  turning 
his  face  toward  the  shore,  held  up  his  hands  high 
above  his  head. 

"I  surrender!"  he  cried,  and,  still  with  his  arms 
above  his  head,  and  his  face  whiter  than  the  distant 
sands,  he  slowly  walked  toward  the  barrier. 

The  captain  rose.  "Halt ! "  he  cried,  and  the  man 
stood  stock-still.  "Now,  my  men,"  cried  the  captain, 
turning  to  Burke  and  Shirley,  "keep  your  eyes  on 
that  fellow  until  we  reach  him,  and  if  he  moves,  shoot 
him." 

The  three  white  men,  followed  by  the  negroes,  ran 
down  to  the  man,  and  when  they  had  reached  him, 
they  carefully  searched  him  to  see  if  he  had  any  con 
cealed  weapons. 

After  glancing  rapidly  over  the  bodies  which  lay 
upon  the  sand,  the  captain  turned  to  his  men. 

"Come  on,  every  one  of  you,"  he  shouted,  "and  run 
out  that  boat,"  pointing  to  the  largest  one  that  had 
brought  the  Arato^s  men  ashore. 

Shirley  and  Burke  looked  at  him  in  surprise. 

"We  want  that  vessel ! "  he  cried,  in  answer.  "Be 
341 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

quick  ! "  And  taking  hold  of  the  boat  himself,  he 
helped  the  others  push  it  off  the  sand.  "Now,  then," 
he  continued,  "Shirley,  you  and  Burke  get  into  the 
bow,  with  your  rifles.  Tumble  in,  you  black  fellows, 
and  each  take  an  oar.  You,"  he  said  in  Spanish  to 
the  prisoner,  "get  in  and  take  an  oar,  too." 

The  captain  took  the  tiller.  Shirley  and  Burke 
pushed  the  boat  into  deep  water,  and  jumped  aboard. 
The  oars  dipped,  and  they  were  off,  regardless  of  the 
low  surf  which  splashed  its  crest  over  the  gunwale  as 
the  boat  turned. 

"Tell  me,  you  rascal,"  said  the  captain  to  the  pris 
oner,  who  was  tugging  at  his  oar  as  hard  as  the  others, 
"how  many  men  are  aboard  that  schooner?" 

"Only  two,  I  swear  to  you,  Senor  Capitan ;  there 
were  twelve  of  us  in  all." 

The  men  left  on  the  schooner  had  evidently  watched 
the  proceedings  on  shore,  and  were  taking  measures 
accordingly. 

"They've  slipped  their  anchor,  and  the  tide  is  run 
ning  out ! "  shouted  the  captain.  "Pull !  Pull ! " 

"They're  running  up  their  jib  ! "  cried  Burke.  "Lay 
to,  you  fellows,  or  I'll  throw  one  of  you  overboard, 
and  take  his  place  ! " 

The  captured  man  was  thoroughly  frightened.  They 
were  great  fighters,  these  men  he  had  fallen  among, 
and  he  pulled  as  though  he  were  rowing  to  rescue  his 
dearest  friend.  The  black  fellows  bent  to  their  oars 
like  madmen.  They  were  thoroughly  excited.  They 
did  not  know  what  they  were  rowing :  for  they  only 
knew  they  were  acting  under  the  orders  of  their  cap 
tain,  who  had  just  killed  nine  Rackbirds,  and  their  teeth 
and  their  eyes  flashed  as  their  oars  dipped  and  bent. 

342 


CHAPTER  XLI 
THE  "ARATO"   ANCHORS  NEARER  SHORE 

ON  went  the  boat,  each  one  of  the  oarsmen  pulling 
with  all  his  force,  the  captain  in  the  stern,  shout 
ing  and  encouraging  them,  and  Shirley  and  Burke 
crouched  in  the  bow,  each  with  his  rifle  in  hand. 
Up  went  the  jib  of  the  Arato.  She  gently  turned 
about  as  she  felt  the  influence  of  the  wind,  and  then 
the  captain  believed  the  men  on  board  were  trying  to 
get  up  the  foresail. 

"Are  you  sure  there  are  only  two  of  the  crew  on 
that  schooner?"  said  the  captain  to  the  prisoner. 
"Now,  it  isn't  worth  while  to  lie  to  me." 

"Only  two,"  said  the  man.  "I  swear  to  it.  Only 
two,  Senor  Capitan." 

The  foresail  did  not  go  up,  for  one  of  the  men  had 
to  run  to  the  wheel,  and  as  the  vessel's  head  got  slowly 
around,  it  seemed  as  if  she  might  sail  away  from  the 
boat,  even  with  nothing  but  the  jib  set.  But  the 
schooner  gained  headway  very  slowly,  and  the  boat 
neared  her  rapidly.  Now  the  man  at  the  wheel  gave 
up  all  hope  of  sailing  away  from  his  pursuers.  He 
abandoned  the  helm,  and  in  a  few  moments  two  heads 
and  two  guns  showed  over  the  rail,  and  two  shots 

343 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

rang  out.  But  the  schooner  was  rolling,  and  the  aim 
was  bad.  Shirley  and  Burke  fired  at  the  two  heads  as 
soon  as  they  saw  them,  but  the  boat  was  rising  and 
pitching,  and  their  shots  were  also  bad. 

For  a  minute  there  was  no  more  firing,  and  then 
one  of  the  heads  and  one  of  the  guns  were  seen  again. 
Shirley  was  ready,  and  made  his  calculations,  and,  as 
the  boat  rose,  he  drew  a  bead  upon  the  top  of  the  rail 
where  he  saw  the  head,  and  had  scarcely  pulled  his 
trigger  when  he  saw  a  good  deal  more  than  a  head, 
for  a  man  sprung  up  high  in  the  air  and  then  fell 
backward. 

The  captain  now  ordered  his  men  to  rest  on  their 
oars,  for,  if  the  other  man  on  board  should  show 
himself,  they  could  get  a  better  shot  at  him  than  if 
they  were  nearer.  But  the  man  did  not  show  himself, 
and,  on  consideration  of  his  probable  tactics,  it  seemed 
extremely  dangerous  to  approach  the  vessel.  Even 
here  they  were  in  danger,  but  should  they  attempt  to 
board  her,  they  could  not  tell  from  what  point  he 
might  fire  down  upon  them,  and  some  of  them  would 
surely  be  shot  before  they  could  get  a  chance  at  him, 
and  the  captain  did  not  wish  to  sacrifice  any  of  his 
men,  even  for  a  vessel,  if  it  could  be  helped.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  hope  of  safely  gaining  their  object, 
except  to  wait  until  the  man  should  become  tired  and 
impatient,  and  expose  himself. 

Suddenly,  to  the  amazement  of  every  one  in  the  boat, 
for  all  heads  were  turned  toward  the  schooner,  a  man 
appeared,  boldly  running  over  her  deck.  Shirley  and 
Burke  instantly  raised  their  rifles,  but  dropped  them 
again.  There  was  a  shout  from  Maka,  and  an  exclama 
tion  from  the  prisoner.  Then  the  man  on  deck  stooped 

344 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

close  to  the  rail  and  was  lost  to  their  sight,  but  almost 
instantly  he  reappeared  again,  holding  in  front  of  him 
a  struggling  pair  of  legs,  feet  uppermost.  Then,  upon 
the  rail,  appeared  a  man's  head  and  body  ;  but  it  only 
remained  there  for  an  instant,  for  his  legs  were  raised 
still  higher  by  the  person  behind  him,  and  were  then 
propelled  outward  with  such  force  that  he  went  head 
long  overboard.  Then  the  man  on  deck  sprang  to 
the  top  of  the  rail,  regardless  of  the  rolling  of  the  ves 
sel  in  the  gentle  swell,  and  waved  his  hands  above  his 
head. 

"Inkspot ! "  shouted  the  captain.  "Pull  away,  you 
fellows  !  Pull ! " 

The  tall,  barefooted  negro  sprang  to  the  deck  from 
his  perilous  position,  and  soon  reappeared  with  a  line 
ready  to  throw  to  the  boat. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  reached  the  vessel  and  the 
boat  was  quickly  made  fast,  and  very  soon  they  were 
on  board.  When  he  saw  his  old  friends  and  associates 
upon  the  deck,  Inkspot  retired  a  little  distance  and 
fell  upon  his  knees. 

"You  black  rascal ! "  roared  Burke,  "you  brought 
these  cut-throat  scoundrels  down  upon  us  !  You—" 

"That  will  do,"  said  tlie  captain.  "There  is  no  time 
for  that  sort  of  thing  now.  We  will  talk  to  him  after 
wards.  Mr.  Shirley,  call  all  hands  and  get  up  sail.  I 
am  going  to  take  this  schooner  inside  the  headland. 
We  can  find  safe  anchorage  in  the  bay.  We  can  sail 
over  the  same  course  we  went  on  with  the  Miranda, 
and  she  drew  more  water  than  this  vessel." 

In  an  hour  the  Arato,  moored  by  her  spare  anchor, 
lay  in  the  little  bay,  less  than  two  hundred  yards  from 
shore.  It  gave  the  shipwrecked  men  a  wild  delight  to 

345 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

find  themselves  again  upon  the  decks  of  a  seaworthy 
vessel,  and  everybody  worked  with  a  will,  especially 
the  prisoner  and  Inkspot.  And  when  the  last  sail  had 
been  furled,  it  became  evident  to  all  hands  on  board 
that  they  wanted  their  breakfast,  and  this  need  was 
speedily  supplied  by  Maka  and  Inkspot  from  the 
Anita's  stores. 

That  afternoon  the  captain  went  on  shore  with  the 
negroes  and  the  Chilian  prisoner,  and  the  bodies  of 
the  nine  men  who  had  fallen  in  the  attack  upon  the 
wall  of  gold  were  buried  where  they  lay.  This  was 
a  very  different  climate  from  that  of  the  Peruvian 
coast,  where  the  desiccating  air  speedily  makes  a 
mummy  of  any  dead  body  upon  its  arid  sands. 

"When  this  work  had  been  accomplished,  the  party 
returned  to  the  Arato,  and  the  captain  ordered  Ink- 
spot  and  the  prisoner  to  be  brought  aft  to  be  tried  by 
court  martial.  The  big  negro  had  been  wildly  and 
vociferously  received  by  his  fellow-  country  men,  who, 
upon  every  possible  occasion,  had  jabbered  together 
in  their  native  tongue,  but  Captain  Horn  had,  so  far, 
said  nothing  to  him. 

The  captain  had  been  greatly  excited  from  the 
moment  he  had  seen  the  sail  in  the  offing.  In  his  dire 
distress,  on  this  almost  desolate  shore,  he  had  beheld 
what  might  prove  to  be  speedy  relief,  and,  much  as  he 
had  needed  it,  he  had  hoped  that  it  might  not  come  so 
soon.  He  had  been  apprehensive  and  anxious  when 
he  supposed  friendly  aid  might  be  approaching,  and 
he  had  been  utterly  astounded  when  he  was  forced  to 
believe  that  they  were  armed  men  who  were  rowing 
to  shore,  and  must  be  enemies.  He  had  fought  a  ter 
rible  fight.  He  had  conquered  the  scoundrels  who 

346 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

had  come  for  his  life  and  his  treasure,  and,  best  of  all, 
he  had  secured  a  vessel  which  would  carry  him  and 
his  men  and  his  fortune  to  France.  He  had  endeav 
ored  to  keep  cool  and  think  only  of  the  work  that  was 
immediately  in  hand,  and  he  had  no  wish  to  ask  any 
body  why  or  how  things  had  happened.  They  had 
happened,  and  that  was  all  in  all  to  him.  But  now  he 
was  ready  to  make  all  necessary  inquiries,  and  he 
began  with  Inkspot.  Maka  being  interpreter,  the 
examination  was  easily  carried  on. 

The  story  of  the  negro  was  a  very  interesting  one. 
He  told  of  his  adventures  on  shore,  and  how  kind  the 
men  had  been  to  him  until  they  went  on  board  the 
Arato,  and  how  then  they  treated  him  as  if  he  had 
been  a  dog— how  he  had  been  made  to  do  double  duty 
in  all  sorts  of  disagreeable  work,  and  how,  after  they 
had  seen  the  light  on  the  beach,  he  had  been  put  into 
the  hold  and  tied  hand  and  foot.  While  down  there 
in  the  dark  he  had  heard  the  firing  on  shore,  and,  after 
a  long  while,  the  firing  from  the  deck,  and  other  shots 
near  by.  All  this  had  so  excited  him  that  he  managed 
to  get  one  hand  loose  from  his  cords,  and  then  had 
speedily  unfastened  the  rest,  and  had  quietly  crept  to 
a  hatchway,  where  he  could  watch  what  was  going  on 
without  showing  himself.  He  had  seen  the  two  icen 
on  deck,  ready  to  fire  on  the  approaching  boat.  He 
had  recognized  Captain  Horn  and  the  people  of  the 
Miranda  in  the  boat.  And  then,  when  there  was  but 
one  man  left  on  deck,  and  the  boat  was  afraid  to  come 
nearer,  he  had  rushed  up  behind  him  and  tumbled  him 
overboard. 

One  thing  only  did  Inkspot  omit :  he  did  not  say 
that  it  was  Mr.  Burke's  example  that  had  prompted 

347 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

him  to  go  ashore  for  refreshments.  When  the  story 
had  been  told,  and  all  questions  asked  and  answered, 
the  captain  turned  to  Burke  and  Shirley  and  asked 
their  opinions  upon  the  case.  Shirley  was  in  favor  of 
putting  the  negro  in  irons.  He  had  deserted  them, 
and  had  nearly  cost  them  their  lives  by  the  stories  he 
had  told  on  shore.  Burke,  to  the  captain's  surprise, 
— for  the  second  mate  generally  dealt  severely  with 
nautical  transgressions, — was  in  favor  of  clemency. 

"To  be  sure,"  said  he,  "the  black  scoundrel  did  get 
us  into  trouble.  But  then,  don't  you  see,  he  has  got  us 
out  of  it.  If  these  beastly  fellows  hadn't  been  led  by  him 
to  come  after  our  money,  we  would  not  have  had  this 
schooner,  and  how  we  should  have  got  those  bags  away 
without  her, — to  say  nothing  of  ourselves, — is  more 
than  I  can  fathom.  It  is  my  belief  that  no  craft  ever 
comes  within  twenty  miles  of  this  coast,  if  she  can 
help  it.  So  I  vote  for  letting  him  off.  He  didn't  in 
tend  to  do  us  any  harm,  and  he  didn't  intend  to  do  us 
any  good,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  the  good  he  did  do 
rises  higher  above  the  water-line  than  the  harm.  So 
I  say,  let  him  off.  We  need  another  hand  about  as 
much  as  we  need  anything." 

"And  so  say  I,"  said  the  captain.  "Maka,  you  can 
tell  him  we  forgive  him,  because  we  believe  that  he  is 
really  a  good  fellow  and  didn't  intend  any  harm,  and 
he  can  turn  in  with  the  rest  of  you  on  his  old  watch. 
And  now  bring  up  that  Chilian  fellow." 

The  prisoner,  who  gave  his  name  as  Anton  Garta, 
was  now  examined  in  regard  to  the  schooner  Arato, 
her  extraordinary  cruise,  and  the  people  who  had  de 
vised  it.  Garta  was  a  fellow  of  moderate  intelligence, 
and  still  very  much  frightened,  and  having  little  wit 

348 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

with  which  to  concoct  lies,  and  no  reason  for  telling 
them,  he  answered  the  questions  put  to  him  as  cor 
rectly  as  his  knowledge  permitted.  He  said  that 
about  two  months  before  he  had  been  one  of  the  crew 
of  the  Arato,  and  Manuel  Cardatas  was  second  mate, 
and  he  had  been  very  glad  to  join  her  on  this  last 
cruise  because  he  was  out  of  a  job.  He  thought  she 
was  going  to  Callao  for  a  cargo,  and  so  did  the  rest  of 
the  crew.  They  did  not  even  know  there  were  guns 
on  board  until  they  were  out  at  sea.  Then,  when  they 
had  turned  southward,  their  captain  and  Senor  Nunez 
told  them  that  they  were  going  in  pursuit  of  a  treasure 
ship  commanded  by  a  Yankee  captain,  who  had  run 
away  with  ever  so  much  money  from  California,  and 
that  they  were  sure  to  overhaul  this  ship,  and  that 
they  would  all  be  rich. 

The  guns  were  given  to  them,  and  they  had  had 
some  practice  with  them,  and  thought  that  Cardatas 
intended,  should  the  Miranda  be  overhauled,  to  run 
alongside  of  her  as  near  as  was  safe,  and  begin  opera 
tions  by  shooting  everybody  that  could  be  seen  on  deck. 
He  was  not  sure  that  this  was  his  plan,  but  they  all 
had  thought  it  was.  After  the  storm  the  men  had 
become  dissatisfied,  and  said  they  did  not  believe  it 
was  possible  to  overhaul  any  vessel  after  so  much 
delay,  and  when  they  had  gone  so  far  out  of  their 
course ;  and  Senor  Nunez,  who  had  hired  the  vessel, 
was  in  doubt  as  to  whether  it  would  be  of  any  use  to 
continue  the  cruise.  But  when  Cardatas  had  talked 
to  him,  Senor  Nunez  had  come  among  them  and 
promised  them  good  rewards,  whether  they  sighted 
their  prize  or  not,  if  they  would  work  faithfully  for 
ten  days  more.  The  men  had  agreed  to  do  this,  but 

349 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

when  they  had  seen  the  light  on  shore,  they  had  made 
an  agreement  among  themselves  that,  if  this  should 
be  nothing  but  a  fire  built  by  savages  or  shipwrecked 
people  of  no  account,  they  would  not  work  the  schooner 
any  farther  south.  They  would  put  Cardatas  and 
Nunez  in  irons,  if  necessary,  and  take  the  Arato  back 
to  Valparaiso.  There  were  men  among  them  who 
could  navigate.  But  when  they  got  near  enough  to 
shore  to  see  that  the  stranded  vessel  was  the  Miranda, 
there  was  no  more  insubordination. 

As  for  himself,  Garta  said  he  was  a  plain,  common 
sailor,  who  went  on  board  the  Arato  because  he  wanted 
a  job.  If  he  had  known  the  errand  on  which  she  was 
bound,  he  would  never  have  approached  within  a 
league  of  her.  This  he  vowed,  by  all  the  saints.  As 
to  the  ownership  of  the  vessel  Garta  could  tell  but 
little.  He  had  heard  that  Cardatas  had  a  share  in 
her,  and  thought  that  probably  the  other  owners  lived 
in  Valparaiso,  but  he  could  give  no  positive  informa 
tion  on  this  subject.  He  said  that  every  man  of  the 
boat's  crew  was  in  a  state  of  wild  excitement  when 
they  saw  that  long  pile  of  bags,  which  they  knew  must 
contain  treasure  of  some  sort,  and  it  was  because  of 
this  state  of  mind,  most  likely,  that  Cardatas  lost  his 
temper  and  got  himself  shot,  and  so  opened  the  fight. 
Cardatas  was  a  cunning  fellow,  and,  if  he  had  not  been 
upset  by  the  sight  of  those  bags,  Garta  believed  that 
he  would  have  regularly  besieged  Captain  Horn's 
party,  and  must  have  overcome  them  in  the  end.  He 
was  anxious  to  have  the  captain  believe  that,  when  he 
had  said  there  were  only  two  men  on  board,  he  had 
totally  forgotten  the  negro,  who  had  been  left  below. 

When  Garta's  examination  had  been  finished,  the 

350 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

captain  sent  him  forward,  and  then  repeated  his  story 
in  brief  to  Shirley  and  Burke,  for,  as  the  prisoner  had 
spoken  in  Spanish,  they  had  understood  but  little 
of  it. 

"I  don't  see  that  it  makes  much  difference,"  said 
Burke,  "as  to  what  his  story  is.  We've  got  to  get  rid 
of  him  in  some  way.  "We  don't  want  to  carry  him  about 
with  us.  We  might  leave  him  here,  with  a  lot  of  grub 
and  a  tent.  That  would  be  all  he  deserves." 

"I  should  put  him  in  irons,  to  begin  with,"  said 
Shirley,  "and  then  we  can  consider  what  to  do  with 
him  when  we  have  time." 

"I  shall  not  leave  him  on  shore,"  said  the  captain, 
"for  that  would  simply  be  condemning  him  to  starva 
tion  ;  and  as  for  putting  him  in  irons,  that  would  de 
prive  us  of  an  able  seaman.  I  suppose,  if  we  took  him 
to  France,  he  would  have  to  be  sent  to  Chili  for  trial, 
and  that  would  be  of  no  use,  unless  we  went  there  as 
witnesses.  It  is  a  puzzling  question  to  know  what  to 
do  with  him." 

"It  is  that,"  said  Burke,  "and  it  is  a  great  pity  he 
wasn't  shot  with  the  others." 

"Well,"  said  the  captain,  "we've  got  a  lot  of  work 
before  us,  and  we  want  hands,  so  I  think  it  will  be 
best  to  let  him  turn  in  with  the  rest,  and  make  him 
pay  for  his  passage,  wherever  we  take  him.  The  worst 
he  can  do  is  to  desert,  and  if  he  does  that,  he  will 
settle  his  own  business,  and  we  shall  have  no  more 
trouble  with  him." 

"I  don't  like  him,"  said  Shirley.  "I  don't  think  we 
ought  to  have  such  a  fellow  going  about  freely  on 
board." 

"I  am  not  afraid  he  will  hurt  any  of  us,"  said  the 
351 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

captain,  "and  I  am  sure  he  will  not  corrupt  the 
negroes.  They  hate  him.  It  is  easy  to  see  that." 

"Yes,"  said  Burke,  with  a  laugh.  "They  think  he  is 
a  Kackbird,  and  it  is  just  as  well  to  let  them  keep  on 
thinking  so." 

"Perhaps  he  is,"  thought  the  captain,  but  he  did 
not  speak  this  thought  aloud. 


352 


CHAPTEK  XLH 

INKSPOT  HAS  A  DREAM  OF  HEAVEN 

THE  next  day  the  work  of  loading  the  Arato  with  the 
bags  of  gold  was  begun,  and  it  was  a  much  slower  and 
more  difficult  business  than  the  unloading  of  the 
Miranda,  for  the  schooner  lay  much  farther  out  from 
the  beach.  But  there  were  two  men  more  than  on  the 
former  occasion,  and  the  captain  did  not  push  the 
work.  There  was  no  need  now  for  extraordinary 
haste,  and  although  they  all  labored  steadily,  regular 
hours  of  work  and  rest  were  adhered  to.  The  men 
had  carried  so  many  bags  filled  with  hard  and  uneven 
lumps  that  the  shoulders  of  some  of  them  were  tender, 
and  they  had  to  use  cushions  of  canvas  under  their 
loads.  But  the  boats  went  backward  and  forward, 
and  the  bags  were  hoisted  on  board  and  lowered  into 
the  hold,  and  the  wall  of  gold  grew  smaller  and 
smaller. 

"Captain,"  said  Burke,  one  day,  as  they  were  stand 
ing  by  a  pile  of  bags  waiting  for  the  boat  to  come 
ashore,  "do  you  think  it  is  worth  it?  By  George  !  we 
have  loaded  and  unloaded  these  blessed  bags  all  down 
the  western  coast  of  South  America,  and  if  we've  got  to 
unload  and  load  them  all  up  the  east  coast,  I  say,  let's 
take  what  we  really  need,  and  leave  the  rest." 

353 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"I've  been  at  the  business  a  good  deal  longer  than 
you  have,"  said  the  captain,  "and  I'm  not  tired  of  it 
yet.  When  I  took  away  my  first  cargo,  you  must  re 
member  that  I  carried  each  bag  on  my  own  shoulders, 
and  it  took  me  more  than  a  month  to  do  it,  and  even 
all  that  is  only  a  drop  in  the  bucket  compared  to 
what  most  men  who  call  themselves  rich  have  to  do 
before  they  make  their  money." 

"All  right,"  said  Burke,  "I'll  stop  growling.  But 
look  here,  captain.  How  much  do  you  suppose  one  of 
these  bags  is  worth,  and  how  many  are  there  in  all? 
I  don't  want  to  be  inquisitive,  but  it  would  be  a  sort 
of  comfort  to  know." 

"No,  it  wouldn't,"  said  the  captain,  quickly.  "It 
would  be  anything  else  but  a  comfort.  I  know  how 
many  bags  there  are,  but  as  to  what  they  are  worth, 
I  don't  know,  and  I  don't  want  to  know.  I  once  set 
about  calculating  it,  but  I  didn't  get  very  far  with  the 
figures.  I  need  all  my  wits  to  get  through  with  this 
business,  and  I  don't  think  anything  would  be  more 
likely  to  scatter  them  than  calculating  what  this  gold 
is  worth.  It  would  be  a  good  deal  better  for  you— 
and  for  me,  too— to  consider,  as  Shirley  does,  that 
these  bags  are  all  filled  with  good,  clean,  anthracite 
coaL  That  won't  keep  us  from  sleeping." 

"Shirley  be  hanged  ! "  said  Burke.  "He  and  you  may 
be  able  to  do  that,  but  I  can't.  I've  got  a  pretty 
strong  mind,  and  if  you  were  to  tell  me  that  when  we 
get  to  port,  and  you  discharge  this  crew,  I  can  walk 
off  with  all  the  gold  eagles  or  twenty-franc  pieces  I 
can  carry,  I  think  I  could  stand  it  without  losing  my 
mind." 

"All  right,"  said  the  captain.  "If  we  get  this  vessel 
354 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

safely  to  France,  I  will  give  you  a  good  chance  to  try 
your  nerves." 

Day  by  day  the  work  went  on,  and  at  last  the  Arato 
took  the  place  of  the  Miranda  as  a  modern  Argo. 

During  the  reembarkation  of  the  treasure,  the  cap 
tain,  as  well  as  Shirley  and  Burke,  had  kept  a  sharp 
eye  on  Garta.  The  two  mates  were  afraid  he  might 
run  away,  but,  had  he  done  so,  the  captain  would  not 
have  regretted  it  very  much.  He  would  gladly  have 
parted  with  one  of  the  bags  in  order  to  get  rid  of  this 
encumbrance.  But  the  prisoner  had  no  idea  of  run 
ning  away.  He  knew  that  the  bags  were  filled  with 
treasure,  but  as  he  could  now  do  nothing  with  any  of 
it  that  he  might  steal,  he  did  not  try  to  steal  any.  If 
he  had  thoughts  of  the  kind,  he  knew  this  was  no  time 
for  dishonest  operation.  He  had  always  been  a  hard 
working  sailor,  with  a  good  appetite,  and  he  worked 
hard  now,  and  ate  well. 

The  Miranda's  stores  had  not  been  injured  by  water, 
and  when  they  had  been  put  on  board,  the  Arato  was 
well  fitted  out  for  a  long  voyage.  Leaving  the  Mi 
randa  on  the  beach,  with  nothing  in  her  of  much  value, 
the  Arato,  which  had  cleared  for  Callao,  and  afterwards 
set  out  on  a  wild  piratical  cruise,  now  made  a  third 
start,  and  set  sail  for  a  voyage  to  France.  They  had 
good  weather  and  tolerably  fair  winds,  and  before  they 
entered  the  Straits  of  Magellan  the  captain  had  for 
mulated  a  plan  for  the  disposition  of  Garta. 

"I  don't  know  anything  better  to  do  with  him,"  said 
he  to  Shirley  and  Burke,  "than  to  put  him  ashore  at 
the  Falkland  Islands.  We  don't  want  to  take  him  to 
France,  for  we  would  not  know  what  to  do  with  him 
after  we  got  him  there,  and,  as  likely  as  not,  he  would 

355 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

swear  a  lot  of  lies  against  us  as  soon  as  lie  got  on  shore. 
"We  can  run  within  a  league  of  Stanley  harbor,  and 
then,  if  the  weather  is  good  enough,  we  can  put  him 
in  a  boat,  with  something  to  eat  and  drink,  and  let 
him  row  himself  into  port.  We  can  give  him  money 
enough  to  support  himself  until  he  can  procure 
work." 

"But  suppose  there  is  a  man-of-war  in  there,"  said 
Shirley,  "he  might  say  things  that  would  send  her 
after  us.  He  might  not  know  where  to  say  we  got  our 
treasure,  but  he  could  say  we  had  stolen  a  Chilian 
vessel." 

"I  had  thought  of  that,"  said  the  captain,  "but 
nothing  such  a  vagrant  as  he  is  could  say  ought  to  give 
any  cruiser  the  right  to  interfere  with  us  when  we  are 
sailing  under  the  American  flag.  And  when  I  go  to 
France,  nobody  shall  say  that  I  stole  a  vessel,  for,  if 
the  owners  of  the  Arato  can  be  found,  they  shall  be 
well  paid  for  what  use  we  have  made  of  their  schooner. 
I'll  send  her  back  to  Valparaiso  and  let  her  be 
claimed." 

"It  is  a  ticklish  business,"  said  Burke,  "but  I  don't 
know  what  else  can  be  done.  It  is  a  great  pity  I 
didn't  know  he  was  going  to  surrender  when  we  had 
that  fight." 

They  had  been  in  the  Straits  less  than  a  week  when 
Inkspot  dreamed  he  was  in  heaven.  His  ecstatic 
visions  became  so  strong  and  vivid  that  they  awakened 
him,  when  he  was  not  long  in  discovering  the  cause 
which  had  produced  them.  The  dimly  lighted  and 
quiet  forecastle  was  permeated  by  a  delightful  smell 
of  spirituous  liquor.  Turning  his  eyes  from  right  to 
left,  in  his  endeavors  to  understand  this  unusual  odor 

356 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

of  luxury,  Inkspot  perceived  the  man  Garta  standing 
on  the  other  side  of  the  forecastle,  with  a  bottle  in 
one  hand  and  a  cork  in  the  other,  and,  as  he  looked, 
Garta  raised  the  bottle  to  his  mouth,  threw  back  his 
head,  and  drank. 

Inkspot  greatly  disliked  this  man.  He  had  been 
one  of  the  fellows  who  had  ill-treated  him  when  the 
Arato  sailed  under  Cardatas,  and  he  fully  agreed  with 
his  fellow-blacks  that  the  scoundrel  should  have  been 
shot.  But  now  his  feelings  began  to  undergo  a 
change.  A  man  with  a  bottle  of  spirits  might  prove 
to  be  an  angel  of  mercy,  a  being  of  beneficence,  and  if 
he  would  share  with  a  craving  fellow-being  his  rare 
good  fortune,  why  should  not  all  feelings  of  disap 
probation  be  set  aside?  Inkspot  could  see  no  reason 
why  they  should  not  be,  and  softly  slipping  from  his 
hammock,  he  approached  Garta. 

"Give  me.     Give  me,  just  little,"  he  whispered. 

Garta  turned  with  a  half-suppressed  oath,  and 
seeing  who  the  suppliant  was,  he  seized  the  bottle  in 
his  left  hand,  and  with  his  right  struck  poor  Inkspot 
a  blow  in  the  face.  Without  a  word  the  negro  stepped 
back,  and  then  Garta  put  the  bottle  into  a  high,  nar 
row  opening  in  the  side  of  the  forecastle,  and  closed  a 
little  door  upon  it,  which  fastened  with  a  snap.  This 
little  locker,  just  large  enough  to  hold  one  bottle,  had 
been  made  by  one  of  the  former  crew  of  the  Arato 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  concealing  spirits,  and  was 
very  ingeniously  contrived.  Its  door  was  a  portion 
of  the  side  of  the  forecastle,  and  a  keyhole  was  con 
cealed  behind  a  removable  knot.  Garta  had  not 
opened  the  locker  before,  for  the  reason  that  he  had 
been  unable  to  find  the  key.  He  knew  it  had  been 

357 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

concealed  in  the  forecastle,  but  it  had  taken  him  a 
long  time  to  find  it.  Now  his  secret  was  discovered, 
and  he  was  enraged.  Going  over  to  the  hammock, 
where  Inkspot  had  again  ensconced  himself,  he  leaned 
over  the  negro  and  whispered  : 

"If  you  ever  say  a  word  of  that  bottle  to  anybody, 
I'll  put  a  knife  into  you !  No  matter  what  they  do 
to  me,  I'll  settle  with  you." 

Inkspot  did  not  understand  all  this,  but  he  knew  it 
was  a  threat,  and  he  well  understood  the  language  of 
a  blow  in  the  face.  After  a  while  he  went  to  sleep, 
but,  if  he  smelt  again  the  odor  of  the  contents  of  the 
bottle,  he  had  no  more  heavenly  dreams. 

The  next  day  Captain  Horn  found  himself  off  the 
convict  settlement  of  Punta  Arenas,  belonging  to  the 
Chilian  government.  This  was  the  first  port  he  had 
approached  since  he  had  taken  command  of  the  Arato, 
but  he  felt  no  desire  nor  need  to  touch  at  it.  In  fact, 
the  vicinity  of  Punta  Arenas  seemed  of  no  importance 
whatever,  until  Shirley  came  to  him  and  reported  that 
the  man  Garta  was  nowhere  to  be  found.  Captain 
Horn  immediately  ordered  a  search  and  inquiry  to 
be  made,  but  no  traces  of  the  prisoner  could  be  dis 
covered,  nor  could  anybody  tell  anything  about  him. 
Burke  and  Inkspot  had  been  on  watch  with  him  from 
four  to  eight,  but  they  could  give  no  information  what 
ever  concerning  him.  No  splash  nor  cries  for  help  had 
been  heard,  so  that  he  could  not  have  fallen  overboard, 
and  it  was  generally  believed  that,  when  he  knew  him 
self  to  be  in  the  vicinity  of  a  settlement,  he  had  quietly 
slipped  into  the  water  and  had  swum  for  Punta  Arenas. 
Burke  suggested  that  most  likely  he  had  formerly  been 
a  resident  of  the  place,  and  liked  it  better  than  being 

358 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

taken  off  to  unknown  regions  in  the  schooner.  And 
Shirley  considered  this  very  probable,  for  he  said  the 
man  had  always  looked  like  a  convict  to  him. 

At  all  events,  Garta  was  gone,  and  there  was  no  one 
to  say  how  long  he  had  been  gone.  So,  under  full 
sail,  the  Arato  went  on  her  way.  It  was  a  relief  to 
get  rid  of  the  prisoner,  and  the  only  harm  which  could 
come  of  his  disappearance  was  that  he  might  report 
that  his  ship  had  been  stolen  by  the  men  who  were 
sailing  her,  and  that  some  sort  of  a  vessel  might  be 
sent  in  pursuit  of  the  Arato,  and,  if  this  should  be  the 
case,  the  situation  would  be  awkward.  But  days 
passed  on,  the  schooner  sailed  out  of  the  Straits,  and 
no  vessel  was  seen  pursuing  her. 

To  the  northeast  Captain  Horn  set  his  course.  He 
would  not  stop  at  Rio  Janeiro,  for  the  Arato  had  no 
papers  for  that  port.  He  would  not  lie  to  off  Stanley 
harbor,  for  he  had  now  nobody  to  send  ashore.  But  he 
would  sail  boldly  for  France,  where  he  would  make 
no  pretensions  that  his  auriferous  cargo  was  merely 
ballast.  He  was  known  at  Marseilles.  He  had  busi 
ness  relations  with  bankers  in  Paris.  He  was  a  Cali- 
fornian  and  an  American  citizen,  and  he  would 
merely  be  bringing  to  France  a  vessel  freighted  with 
gold,  which,  by  the  aid  of  his  financial  advisers,  would 
be  legitimately  cared  for  and  disposed  of. 

One  night,  before  the  Arato  reached  the  Falkland 
Islands,  Maka,  who  was  on  watch,  heard  a  queer  sound 
in  the  forecastle,  and  looking  down  the  companionway, 
he  saw,  by  the  dim  light  of  the  swinging  lantern, 
a  man  with  a  hatchet,  endeavoring  to  force  the  blade 
of  it  into  the  side  of  the  vessel.  Maka  quickly  per 
ceived  that  the  man  was  Inkspot,  and  as  he  could 

359 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

not  imagine  what  he  was  doing,  he  quietly  watched 
him.  Inkspot  worked  with  as  little  noise  as  possible, 
but  he  was  evidently  bent  upon  forcing  off  one  of  the 
boards  on  the  side  of  the  forecastle.  At  first  Maka 
thought  that  his  fellow- African  was  trying  to  sink 
the  ship  by  opening  a  seam,  but  he  soon  realized  that 
this  notion  was  absurd,  and  so  he  let  Inkspot  go  on; 
being  very  curious  to  know  what  he  was  doing.  In  a 
few  minutes  he  knew.  With  a  slight  noise,  not  enough 
to  waken  a  sound  sleeper,  a  little  door  flew  open,  and 
almost  immediately  Inkspot  held  a  bottle  in  his  hand. 

Maka  slipped  swiftly  and  softly  to  the  side  of  the 
big  negro,  but  he  was  not  quick  enough.  Inkspot  had 
the  neck  of  the  bottle  in  his  mouth  and  the  bottom 
raised  high  in  the  air.  But,  before  Maka  could  seize 
him  by  the  arm,  the  bottle  had  come  down  from  its 
elevated  position,  and  a  doleful  expression  crept  over 
the  face  of  Inkspot.  There  had  been  scarcely  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  liquor  left  in  the  bottle.  Inkspot  looked 
at  Maka,  and  Maka  looked  at  him.  In  an  African 
whisper,  the  former  now  ordered  the  disappointed 
negro  to  put  the  bottle  back,  to  shut  up  the  locker, 
and  then  to  get  into  his  hammock  and  go  to  sleep  as 
quickly  as  he  could,  for  if  Mr.  Shirley,  who  was  on 
watch  on  deck,  found  out  what  he  had  been  doing, 
Inkspot  would  wish  he  had  never  been  born. 

The  next  day,  when  they  had  an  opportunity  for 
an  African  conversation,  Inkspot  assured  his  country 
man  that  he  had  discovered  the  little  locker  by  smell 
ing  the  whiskey  through  the  boards,  and  that,  having 
no  key,  he  had  determined  to  force  it  open  with  a 
hatchet.  Maka  could  not  help  thinking  that  Inkspot 
had  a  wonderful  nose  for  an  empty  bottle,  and  could 

360 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

scarcely  restrain  from  a  shudder  at  the  thought  of 
what  might  have  happened  had  the  bottle  been  full. 
But  he  did  not  report  the  occurrence.  Inkspot  was  a 
fellow-African,  and  he  had  barely  escaped  punishment 
for  his  former  misdeed.  It  would  be  better  to  keep 
his  mouth  shut,  and  he  did. 

Against  the  north  winds,  before  the  south  winds, 
and  on  the  winds  from  the  east  and  the  west,  through 
fair  weather  and  through  foul,  the  Arato  sailed  up  the 
South  Atlantic.  It  was  a  long,  long  voyage,  but  the 
schooner  was  skilfully  navigated  and  sailed  well. 
Sometimes  she  sighted  great  merchant-steamers  plying 
between  Europe  and  South  America,  freighted  with 
rich  cargoes,  and  proudly  steaming  away  from  the  little 
schooner,  whose  dark-green  hull  could  scarcely  be  dis 
tinguished  from  the  color  of  the  waves.  And  why 
should  not  the  captain  of  this  humble  little  vessel 
sometimes  have  said  to  himself,  as  he  passed  a  big 
three-master  or  a  steamer : 

"What  would  they  think  if  they  knew  that,  if  I 
chose  to  do  it,  I  could  buy  every  ship,  and  its  cargo, 
that  I  shall  meet  between  here  and  Gibraltar  ! " 

"Captain,"  said  Shirley,  one  day,  "what  do  you  think 
about  the  right  and  wrong  of  this  ?  " 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Captain  Horn. 

"I  mean,"  replied  Shirley,  "taking  away  the  gold 
we  have  on  board.  We've  had  pretty  easy  times 
lately,  and  I've  been  doing  a  good  deal  of  thinking, 
and  sometimes  I  have  wondered  where  we  got  the 
right  to  clap  all  this  treasure  into  bags  and  sail  away 
with  it." 

"So  you  have  stopped  thinking  the  bags  are  all  filled 
with  anthracite  coal,"  said  the  captain. 

361 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Yes,"  said  the  other.  "We  are  getting  on  toward 
the  end  of  this  voyage,  and  it  is  about  time  to  give  up 
that  fancy.  I  always  imagine,  when  I  am  near  the 
end  of  a  voyage,  what  I  am  going  to  do  when  I  go 
ashore,  and  if  I  have  any  real  right  to  some  of  the 
gold  down  under  our  decks,  I  shall  do  something  very 
different  from  anything  I  ever  did  before." 

"I  hope  you  don't  mean  going  on  a  spree,"  said 
Burke,  who  was  standing  near.  "That  would  be 
something  entirely  different." 

"I  thought,"  said  the  captain,  "that  you  both  under 
stood  this  business,  but  I  don't  mind  going  over  it 
again.  There  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  this  gold 
originally  belonged  to  the  Incas,  who  then  owned 
Peru,  and  they  put  it  into  that  mound  to  keep  it  from 
the  Spaniards,  whose  descendants  now  own  Peru,  and 
who  rule  it  without  much  regard  to  the  descendants 
of  the  ancient  Peruvians.  Now,  when  I  discovered 
the  gold,  and  began  to  have  an  idea  of  how  valuable 
the  find  was,  I  knew  that  the  first  thing  to  do  was  to 
get  it  out  of  that  place  and  away  from  the  country. 
"Whatever  is  to  be  done  in  the  way  of  fair  play  and 
fair  division  must  be  done  somewhere  else,  and  not 
there.  If  I  had  informed  the  government  of  what  I 
had  found,  this  gold  would  have  gone  directly  into  the 
hands  of  the  descendants  of  the  people  from  whom  its 
original  owners  did  their  very  best  to  keep  it,  and  110- 
body  else  would  have  had  a  dollar's  worth  of  it.  If  we 
had  stood  up  for  our  rights  to  a  reward  for  finding  it, 
ten  to  one  we  would  all  have  been  clapped  into  prison." 

"I  suppose  by  that,"  said  Burke,  "that  you  looked 
upon  the  stone  mound  in  the  cave  as  a  sort  of  will  left 
by  those  old  Peruvians,  and  you  made  yourself  an  ex- 

362 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

ecutor  to  carry  out  the  intentions  of  the  testators,  as 
the  lawyers  say." 

"But  we  can  set  it  down  as  dead  certain,"  inter- 
rupted  Shirley,  "that  the  testators  didn't  mean  us  to 
have  it." 

"No,"  said  the  captain,  "nor  do  I  mean  that  we 
shall  have  all  of  it.  I  intend  to  have  the  question  of 
the  ownership  of  this  gold  decided  by  people  who  are 
able  and  competent  to  decide  such  a  question,  and 
who  will  be  fair  and  honest  to  all  parties.  But  what 
ever  is  agreed  upon,  and  whatever  is  done  with  the 
treasure,  I  intend  to  charge  a  good  price— a  price 
which  shall  bear  a  handsome  proportion  to  the  value 
of  the  gold— for  my  services,  and  all  our  services,, 
Some  of  this  charge  I  have  already  taken,  and  I  in 
tend  to  have  a  great  deal  more.  We  have  worked 
hard  and  risked  much  to  get  this  treasure—" 

"Yes,"  thought  Burke,  as  he  remembered  the  trap 
at  the  bottom  of  the  mound.  "You  risked  a  great  deal 
more  than  you  ever  supposed  you  did." 

"And  we  are  bound  to  be  well  paid  for  it,"  con 
tinued  the  captain.  "No  matter  where  this  gold 
goes,  I  shall  have  a  good  share  of  it,  and  this  I  am 
going  to  divide  among  our  party,  according  to  a  fair 
scale.  How  does  that  strike  you,  Shirley  ?  " 

"If  the  business  is  going  to  be  conducted  as  you  say, 
captain,"  replied  the  first  mate,  "I  say  it  will  be  all 
fair  and  square,  and  I  needn't  bother  my  head  with 
any  more  doubts  about  it.  But  there  is  one  thing  I 
wish  you  would  tell  me :  how  much  do  you  think  I 
will  be  likely  to  get  out  of  this  cargo,  when  you 
divide?" 

"Mr.  Shirley,"  said  the  captain,  "when  I  give  you 
363 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

your  share  of  this  cargo,  you  can  have  about  four  bags 
of  anthracite  coal,  weighing  a  little  over  one  hundred 
pounds,  which,  at  the  rate  of  six  dollars  a  ton,  would 
bring  you  between  thirty  and  forty  cents.  Will  that 
satisfy  you  ?  Of  course,  this  is  only  a  rough  guess  at 
a  division,  but  I  want  to  see  how  it  falls  in  with  your 
ideas." 

Shirley  laughed.  "I  guess  you're  right,  captain," 
said  he.  "It  will  be  better  for  me  to  keep  on  thinking 
we  are  carrying  coal.  That  won't  bother  my  head." 

"That's  so,"  said  Burke.  "Your  brain  can't  stand 
that  sort  of  badger.  I'd  hate  to  go  ashore  with  you  at 
Marseilles  with  your  pocket  full  and  your  skull  empty. 
As  for  me,  I  can  stand  it  first-rate.  I  have  already 
built  two  houses  on  Cape  Cod, — in  my  head,  of  course, 
—and  I'll  be  hanged  if  I  know  which  one  I  am  going 
to  live  in  and  which  one  I  am  going  to  put  my 
mother  in." 


364 


CHAPTER  XLIH 

MOK  AS  A  VOCALIST 

IT  would  have  been  very  comfortable  to  the  mind  of 
Edna,  during  her  waiting  days  in  Paris,  had  she  known 
there  was  a  letter  to  her  from  Captain  Horn,  in  a 
cottage  in  the  town  of  Sidmouth,  on  the  south  coast  of 
Devonshire.  Had  she  known  this,  she  would  have 
chartered  French  trains,  Channel  steamers,  English 
trains,  flies,  anything  and  everything  which  would 
have  taken  her  the  quickest  to  the  little  town  of  Sid- 
mouth.  Had  she  known  that  he  had  written  to  her  the 
first  chance  he  had  had,  all  her  doubts  and  perplexi 
ties  would  have  vanished  in  an  instant.  Had  she  read 
the  letter,  she  might  have  been  pained  to  find  that  it 
was  not  such  a  letter  as  she  would  wish  to  have,  and 
she  might  have  grieved  that  it  might  still  be  a  long 
time  before  she  could  expect  to  hear  from  him  again, 
or  to  see  him,  but  she  would  have  waited— have 
waited  patiently,  without  any  doubts  or  perplexities. 
This  letter,  with  a  silver  coin, — much  more  than 
enough  to  pay  any  possible  postage,— had  been  handed 
by  Shirley  to  the  first  mate  of  the  British  steamer,  in 
the  harbor  of  Valparaiso,  and  that  officer  had  given 
it  to  a  seaman,  who  was  going  on  shore,  with  directions 

365 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

to  take  it  to  the  post-office,  and  pay  for  the  postage 
out  of  the  silver  coin,  and  whatever  change  there 
might  be,  he  should  keep  it  for  his  trouble.  On  the 
way  to  the  post-office,  this  sailor  stopped  to  refresh 
himself,  and  meeting  with  a  fellow-mariner  in  the 
place  of  refreshment,  he  refreshed  him  also.  And  by 
the  time  the  two  had  refreshed  themselves  to  their 
satisfaction,  there  was  not  much  left  of  the  silver  coin 
—not  enough  to  pay  the  necessary  postage  to  France. 

"But,"  said  the  seaman  to  himself,  "it  doesn't  matter 
a  bit.  "We  are  bound  for  Liverpool,  and  I'll  take  the 
letter  there  myself,  and  then  I'll  send  it  over  to  Paris 
for  tuppence  ha'penny,  which  I  will  have  then,  and 
haven't  now.  And  I  bet  another  tuppence  that  it 
will  go  sooner  than  if  I  posted  it  here,  for  it  may  be 
a  month  before  a  mail-steamer  leaves  the  other  side 
of  this  beastly  continent.  Anyway,  I'm  doing  the  best 
I  can." 

He  put  the  letter  in  the  pocket  of  his  pea-jacket, 
and  the  bottom  of  that  pocket  being  ripped,  the  letter 
went  down  between  the  outside  cloth  and  the  lining 
of  the  pea-jacket  to  the  very  bottom  of  the  garment, 
where  it  remained  until  the  aforesaid  seaman  had 
reached  England,  and  had  gone  down  to  see  his  family, 
who  lived  in  the  cottage  in  Sidmouth.  And  there  he 
had  hung  up  his  pea-jacket  on  a  nail,  in  a  little  room 
next  to  the  kitchen,  and  there  his  mother  had  found 
it,  and  sewed  on  two  buttons,  and  sewed  up  the  rips  in 
the  bottoms  of  two  pockets.  Shortly  after  this,  the 
sailor,  happening  to  pass  a  post-office  box,  remembered 
the  letter  he  had  brought  to  England.  He  went  to 
his  pea-jacket  and  searched  it,  but  could  find  no  letter. 
He  must  have  lost  it— he  hoped  after  he  had  reached 

366 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

England,  and  no  doubt  whoever  found  it  would  put 
a  tuppence  ha'penny  stamp  on  it  and  stick  it  into  a 
box.  Anyway,  he  had  done  all  he  could. 

One  pleasant  spring  evening,  the  negro  Mok  sat 
behind  a  table  in  the  well-known  beer-shop  called  the 
"Black  Cat."  He  had  before  him  a  half-emptied  beer- 
glass,  and  in  front  of  him  was  a  pile  of  three  small 
white  dishes.  These  signified  that  Mok  had  had  three 
glasses  of  beer,  and  when  he  should  finish  the  one  in 
his  hand,  and  should  order  another,  the  waiter  would 
bring  with  it  another  little  white  plate,  which  he 
would  put  on  the  table,  on  the  pile  already  there, 
and  which  would  signify  that  the  African  gentleman 
must  pay  for  four  glasses  of  beer. 

Mok  was  enjoying  himself  very  much.  It  was  not 
often  that  he  had  such  an  opportunity  to  sample  the 
delights  of  Paris.  His  young  master,  Kalph,  had 
given  him  strict  orders  never  to  go  out  at  night,  or  in 
his  leisure  hours,  unless  accompanied  by  Cheditafa. 
The  latter  was  an  extremely  important  and  sedate 
personage.  The  combined  dignity  of  a  butler  and  a 
clergyman  were  more  than  ever  evident  in  his  person, 
and  he  was  a  painful  drawback  to  the  more  volatile 
Mok.  Mok  had  very  fine  clothes,  which  it  rejoiced 
him  to  display.  He  had  a  fine  appetite  for  every 
thing  fit  to  eat  and  drink.  He  had  money  in  his 
pockets,  and  it  delighted  him  to  see  people  and  to  see 
things,  although  he  might  not  know  who  they  were  or 
what  they  were.  He  knew  nothing  of  French,  and 
his  power  of  expressing  himself  in  English  had  not 
progressed  very  far.  But  on  this  evening,  in  the  jolly 
precincts  of  the  Black  Cat,  he  did  not  care  whether 
the  people  used  language  or  not.  He  did  not  care 

367 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

•what  they  did,  so  that  he  could  sit  there  and  enjoy 
himself.  When  he  wanted  more  beer,  the  waiter 
understood  him,  and  that  was  enough. 

The  jet-black  negro,  gorgeously  arrayed  in  the 
livery  Kalph  had  chosen  for  him,  and  with  his  teeth 
and  eyeballs  whiter  than  the  pile  of  plates  before  him, 
was  an  object  of  great  interest  to  the  company  in  the 
beer-shop.  They  talked  to  him,  and  although  he  did 
not  understand  them,  or  answer  them,  they  knew  he  was 
enjoying  himself.  And  when  the  landlord  rang  a  big 
bell,  and  a  pale  young  man,  wearing  a  high  hat,  and 
sitting  at  a  table  opposite  him,  threw  into  his  face  an 
expression  of  exalted  melancholy,  and  sang  a  high- 
pitched  song,  Mok  showed  how  he  appreciated  the 
performance  by  thumping  more  vigorously  on  the 
table  than  any  of  the  other  people  who  applauded 
the  singer. 

Again  and  again  the  big  bell  was  rung,  and  there 
were  other  songs  and  choruses,  and  then  the  company 
turned  toward  Mok  and  called  on  him  to  sing.  He 
did  not  understand  them,  but  he  laughed  and  pounded 
his  fist  upon  the  table.  But  when  the  landlord  came 
down  to  his  table,  and  rang  the  bell  in  front  of  him, 
that  sent  an  informing  idea  into  the  African  head. 
He  had  noticed  that  every  time  the  bell  had  been  rung, 
somebody  had  sung,  and  now  he  knew  what  was 
wanted  of  him.  He  had  had  four  glasses  of  beer,  and 
he  was  an  obliging  fellow,  so  he  nodded  his  head  vio 
lently,  and  everybody  stopped  doing  what  they  had 
been  doing,  and  prepared  to  listen. 

Mok's  repertoire  of  songs  could  not  be  expected  to 
be  large.  In  fact,  he  only  knew  one  musical  composi 
tion,  and  that  was  an  African  hymn  which  Cheditafa 

368 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

had  taught  him.  This  he  now  proceeded  to  execute. 
He  threw  back  his  head,  as  some  of  the  others  had 
done,  and  emitted  a  succession  of  grunts,  groans,  yelps, 
barks,  squeaks,  yells,  and  rattles  which  utterly  elec 
trified  the  audience.  Then,  as  if  his  breath  filled  his 
whole  body,  and  quivering  and  shaking  like  an  angry 
squirrel  when  it  chatters  and  barks,  Mok  sang  louder 
and  more  wildly,  until  the  audience,  unable  to  restrain 
themselves,  burst  into  laughter,  and  applauded  with 
canes,  sticks,  and  fists.  But  Mok  kept  on.  He  had 
never  imagined  he  could  sing  so  well.  There  was  only 
one  person  in  that  brasserie  who  did  not  applaud  the 
African  hymn,  but  no  one  paid  so  much  attention  to 
it  as  this  man,  who  had  entered  the  Black  Cat  just  as 
Mok  had  begun. 

He  was  a  person  of  medium  size,  with  a  heavy  mus 
tache,  and  a  face  darkened  by  a  beard  of  several  days' 
growth.  He  was  rather  roughly  dressed,  and  wore  a 
soft  felt  hat.  He  was  a  Kackbird. 

This  man  had  formerly  belonged  to  the  band  of 
desperadoes  which  had  been  swept  away  by  a  sudden 
flood  on  the  coast  of  Peru.  He  had  accompanied  his 
comrades  on  the  last  marauding  expedition  previous 
to  that  remarkable  accident,  but  he  had  not  returned 
with  them.  He  had  devised  a  little  scheme  of  his 
own,  which  had  detained  him  longer  than  he  had 
expected,  and  he  was  not  ready  to  go  back  with  them. 
It  would  have  been  difficult  for  him  to  reach  the  camp 
by  himself,  and,  after  what  he  had  done,  he  did  not 
very  much  desire  to  go,  there  as  he  would  probably 
have  been  shot  as  a  deserter ;  for  Captain  Raminez 
was  a  savage  fellow,  and  more  than  willing  to  punish 
transgressions  against  his  orders.  This  deserter, 

369 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Banker  by  name,  was  an  American,  -who  had  been  a 
gold-digger,  a  gambler,  a  rough,  and  a  dead  shot  in 
California,  and  he  was  very  well  able  to  take  care  of 
himself  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

He  had  made  his  way  up  to  Panama,  and  had  stayed 
there  as  long  as  it  was  safe  for  him  to  do  so,  and  had 
eventually  reached  Paris.  He  did  not  like  this  city 
half  so  well  as  he  liked  London,  but  in  the  latter  city 
he  happened  to  be  wanted,  and  he  was  not  wanted  in 
Paris.  It  was  generally  the  case  that  he  stayed  where 
he  was  not  wanted. 

Of  course,  Banker  knew  nothing  of  the  destruction 
of  his  band,  and  the  fact  that  he  had  not  heard  from 
them  since  he  left  them  gave  him  not  the  slightest 
regret.  But  what  did  astonish  him  beyond  bounds 
was  to  sit  at  a  table  in  the  Black  Cat,  in  Paris,  and  see 
before  him,  dressed  like  the  valet  of  a  Spanish  grandee, 
a  coal-black  negro  who  had  once  been  his  especial 
and  particular  slave  and  drudge,  a  fellow  whom  he 
had  kicked  and  beaten  and  sworn  at,  and  whom  he  no 
doubt  would  have  shot  had  he  stayed  much  longer 
with  his  lawless  companions,  the  Kackbirds.  There 
was  no  mistaking  this  black  man.  He  well  remembered 
his  face,  and  even  the  tones  of  his  voice.  He  had 
never  heard  him  sing,  but  he  had  heard  him  howl,  and 
it  seemed  almost  impossible  that  he  should  meet  him 
in  Paris.  And  yet,  he  was  sure  that  the  man  who 
was  bellowing  and  bawling  to  the  delight  of  the 
guests  of  the  Black  Cat  was  one  of  the  African  wretches 
who  had  been  entrapped  and  enslaved  by  the  Rack- 
birds. 

But  if  Banker  had  been  astonished  by  Mok,  he  was 
utterly  amazed  and  confounded  when,  some  five  min- 

370 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

utes  later,  the  door  of  the  brasserie  was  suddenly 
opened,  and  another  of  the  slaves  of  the  Kackbirds, 
with  whose  face  he  was  also  perfectly  familiar,  hur 
riedly  entered. 

Cheditafa,  who  had  been  sent  on  an  errand  that 
evening,  had  missed  Mok  on  his  return.  Kalph  was 
away  in  Brussels  with  the  professor,  so  that  his  valet, 
having  most  of  his  time  on  his  hands,  had  thought  to 
take  a  holiday  during  Cheditafa's  absence,  and  had 
slipped  off  to  the  Black  Cat,  whose  pleasures  he  had 
surreptitiously  enjoyed  before,  but  never  to  such  an 
extent  as  on  this  occasion.  Cheditafa  knew  he  had 
been  there,  and  when  he  started  out  to  look  for  him,  it 
was  to  the  Black  Cat  that  he  went  first. 

Before  he  had  quite  reached  the  door,  Cheditafa  had 
been  shocked  and  angered  to  hear  his  favorite  hymn 
sung  in  a  beer-shop  by  that  reprobate  and  incom 
petent  Mok,  and  he  had  rushed  in,  and  in  a  minute 
seized  the  blatant  vocalist  by  the  collar,  and  ordered 
him  instantly  to  shut  his  mouth  and  pay  his  reckon 
ing.  Then,  in  spite  of  the  shouts  of  disapprobation 
which  arose  on  every  side,  he  led  away  the  negro  as 
if  he  had  been  a  captured  dog  with  his  tail  between 
his  legs. 

Mok  could  easily  have  thrown  Cheditafa  across  the 
street,  but  his  respect  and  reverence  for  his  elder  and 
superior  were  so  great  that  he  obeyed  his  commands 
without  a  word  of  remonstrance. 

Now  up  sprang  Banker,  who  was  in  such  a  hurry 
to  go  that  he  forgot  to  pay  for  his  beer,  and  when  he 
performed  this  duty,  after  having  been  abruptly  re 
minded  of  it  by  a  waiter,  he  was  almost  too  late  to 
follow  the  two  black  men,  but  not  quite  too  late.  He 

371 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

-was  an  adept  in  the  tracking  of  his  fellow-beings,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  he  was  quietly  following  Mok 
and  Cheditafa,  keeping  at  some  distance  behind  them, 
but  never  allowing  them  to  get  out  of  his  sight. 

In  the  course  of  a  moderate  walk  he  saw  them  enter 
the  Hotel  Grenade.  This  satisfied  the  wandering 
Rackbird.  If  the  negroes  went  into  that  hotel  at  that 
time  of  night,  they  must  live  there,  and  he  could  sus 
pend  operations  until  morning. 


372 


CHAPTEE  XLIV 
ME.  BANKER'S  SPECULATION 

THAT  night  Banker  was  greatly  disturbed  by  surmises 
and  conjectures  concerning  the  presence  of  the  two 
negroes  in  the  French  capital.  He  knew  Cheditafa 
quite  as  well  as  he  knew  Mok,  and  it  was  impossible 
that  he  should  be  mistaken.  It  is  seldom  that  any 
one  sees  a  native  African  in  Paris,  and  he  was  positive 
that  the  men  he  had  seen,  dressed  in  expensive  gar 
ments,  enjoying  themselves  like  gentlemen  of  leisure, 
and  living  at  a  grand  hotel,  were  the  same  negroes  he 
had  last  seen  in  rags  and  shreds,  lodged  in  a  cave  in 
the  side  of  a  precipice,  toiling  and  shuddering  under 
the  commands  of  a  set  of  desperadoes  on  a  desert  coast 
in  South  America.  There  was  only  one  way  in  which 
he  could  explain  matters,  and  that  was  that  the  band 
had  had  some  great  success,  and  that  one  or  more  of 
its  members  had  come  to  Paris,  and  had  brought  the 
two  negroes  with  them  as  servants.  But  of  one  thing 
he  had  no  doubts,  and  that  was  that  he  would  follow 
up  the  case.  He  had  met  with  no  successes  of  late, 
but  if  any  of  his  former  comrades  had,  he  wanted  to 
meet  those  dear  old  friends.  In  Paris  he  was  not 
afraid  of  anything  they  might  say  about  his  desertion. 

373 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Very  early  in  the  morning  Banker  was  in  front  of 
the  Hotel  Grenade.  He  did  not  loiter  there  ;  he  did 
not  wander  up  and  down  like  a  vagrant,  or  stand  about 
like  a  spy.  It  was  part  of  his  business  to  be  able  to 
be  present  in  various  places  almost  at  the  same  time, 
and  not  to  attract  notice  in  any  of  them.  It  was  not 
until  after  ten  o'clock  that  he  saw  anything  worthy  of 
his  observation,  and  then  a  carriage  drove  up  to  the 
front  entrance,  and  on  the  seat  beside  the  driver  sat 
Cheditafa,  erect,  solemn,  and  respectable.  Presently 
the  negro  got  down  and  opened  the  door  of  the  car 
riage.  In  a  few  moments  a  lady,  a  beautiful  lady, 
handsomely  dressed,  came  out  of  the  hotel  and  entered 
the  carriage.  Then  Cheditafa  shut  the  door  and  got 
up  beside  the  driver  again.  It  was  a  fine  thing  to 
have  such  a  footman  as  this  one,  so  utterly  different 
from  the  ordinary  groom  or  footman,  so  extremely 
distingue! 

As  the  carriage  rolled  off,  Banker  walked  after  it, 
but  not  in  such  a  way  as  to  attract  attention,  and  then 
he  entered  a  cab  and  told  the  cocker  to  drive  to  the 
Bon  Marche.  Of  course,  he  did  not  know  where  the 
lady  was  going  to,  but  at  present  she  was  driving  in 
the  direction  of  that  celebrated  mart,  and  he  kept  his 
eye  upon  her  carriage,  and  if  she  had  turned  out  of  the 
Boulevard  and  away  from  the  Seine,  he  would  have 
ordered  his  driver  to  turn  also  and  go  somewhere  else. 
He  did  not  dare  to  tell  the  man  to  follow  the  carriage. 
He  was  shaved,  and  his  clothes  had  been  put  in  as  good 
order  as  possible,  but  he  knew  that  he  did  not  look 
like  a  man  respectable  enough  to  give  such  an  order 
without  exciting  suspicion. 

But  the  carriage  did  go  to  the  Bon  Marche,  and 
374 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

there  also  went  the  cab,  the  two  vehicles  arriving 
at  almost  the  same  time.  Banker  paid  his  fare  with 
great  promptness,  and  was  on  the  pavement  in  time 
to  see  the  handsomely  dressed  lady  descend  and  enter 
the  establishment.  As  she  went  in,  he  took  one  look 
at  the  back  of  her  bonnet.  It  had  a  little  green 
feather  in  it.  Then  he  turned  quickly  upon  Chedi- 
tafa,  who  had  shut  the  carriage  door  and  was  going 
around  behind  it  in  order  to  get  up  on  the  other  side. 

"Look  here,"  whispered  Banker,  seizing  the  clerical 
butler  by  the  shoulder,  "who  is  that  lady?  Quick, 
or  I'll  put  a  knife  in  you." 

At  these  words  Cheditafa's  heart  almost  stopped 
beating,  and  as  he  quickly  turned  he  saw  that  he 
looked  into  the  face  of  a  man,  an  awfully  wicked  man, 
who  had  once  helped  to  grind  the  soul  out  of  him,  in 
that  dreadful  cave  by  the  sea.  The  poor  negro  was  so 
frightened  that  he  scarcely  knew  whether  he  was  in 
Paris  or  Peru. 

"Who  is  she? "  whispered  again  the  dreadful  Kack- 
bird. 

"Come,  come ! "  shouted  the  coachman  from  his 
seat,  "we  must  move  on." 

"Quick  !    Who  is  she? "  hissed  Banker. 

"She  ? "  replied  the  quaking  negro.  "She  is  the  cap 
tain's  wife.  She  is—"  But  he  could  say  no  more,  for 
a  policeman  was  ordering  the  carriage  to  move  on,  for 
it  stopped  the  way,  and  the  coachman  was  calling  im 
patiently.  Banker  could  not  afford  to  meet  a  police 
man.  He  released  his  hold  on  Cheditafa  and  retired 
unnoticed.  An  instant  afterward  he  entered  the  Bon 
Marche. 

Cheditafa  climbed  up  to  the  side  of  the  driver,  but 
375 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

he  missed  his  foothold  several  times,  and  came  near 
falling  to  the  ground.  In  all  Paris  there  was  no  foot 
man  on  a  carriage  who  looked  less  upright,  less  sedate, 
and  less  respectable  than  this  poor,  frightened  black 
man. 

Through  the  corridors  and  passageways  of  the  vast 
establishment  went  Banker.  But  he  did  not  have  to  go 
far.  He  saw  at  a  counter  a  little  green  feather  in  the 
back  of  a  bonnet.  Quietly  he  approached  that  coun 
ter,  and  no  sooner  had  the  attendant  turned  aside  to 
get  something  that  had  been  asked  for  than  Banker 
stepped  close  to  the  side  of  the  lady,  and  leaning  for 
ward,  said  in  a  very  low  but  polite  voice : 

"I  am  so  glad  to  find  the  captain's  wife.  I  have  been 
looking  for  her." 

He  was  almost  certain,  from  her  appearance,  that 
she  was  an  American,  and  so  he  spoke  in  English. 

Edna  turned  with  a  start.  She  saw  beside  her  a  man 
with  his  hat  off,  a  rough-looking  man,  but  a  polite  one, 
and  a  man  who  looked  like  a  sailor. 

"The  captain  ! "  she  stammered.  "Have  you— do 
you  bring  me  anything  1  A  letter  *  " 

"Yes,  madam,"  said  he.  "I  have  a  letter  and  a  mes 
sage  for  you." 

"Give  them  to  me  quickly!"  said  she,  her  face 
burning. 

"I  cannot,"  he  said.  "I  cannot  give  them  to  you 
here.  I  have  much  to  say  to  you,  and  much  to  tell 
you,  and  I  was  ordered  to  say  it  in  private." 

Edna  was  astounded.  Her  heart  sank.  Captain 
Horn  must  be  in  trouble,  else  why  such  secrecy  ?  But 
she  must  know  everything,  and  quickly.  Where  could 
she  meet  the  man  ?  He  divined  her  thought. 

376 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"The  Gardens  of  the  Tuileries,"  said  he.  "Go  there 
now,  please.  I  will  meet  you.  no  matter  in  what  part 
of  it  you  are."  And  so  saying,  he  slipped  away  un 
noticed. 

"When  the  salesman  came  to  her,  Edna  did  not  re 
member  what  she  had  asked  to  see,  but  whatever  he 
brought  she  did  not  want,  and  going  out,  she  had  her 
carriage  called,  and  ordered  her  coachman  to  take  her 
to  the  Gardens  of  the  Tuileries.  She  was  so  excited 
that  she  did  not  wait  for  Cheditafa  to  get  down,  but 
opened  the  door  herself,  and  stepped  in  quickly,  even 
before  the  porter  of  the  establishment  could  attend  to 
her. 

When  she  reached  the  Gardens,  and  Cheditafa 
opened  the  carriage  door  for  her,  she  thought  he 
must  have  a  fit  of  chills  and  fever.  But  she  had  no 
time  to  consider  this,  and  merely  told  him  that  she 
was  going  to  walk  in  the  Gardens,  and  the  carriage 
must  wait. 

It  was  some  time  before  Edna  met  the  man  with 
whom  she  had  made  this  appointment.  He  had  seen 
her  alight,  and  although  he  did  not  lose  sight  of  her, 
he  kept  away  from  her,  and  let  her  walk  on  until  she 
was  entirely  out  of  sight  of  the  carriage.  As  soon  as 
Edna  perceived  Banker,  she  walked  directly  toward 
him.  She  had  endeavored  to  calm  herself,  but  he 
could  see  that  she  was  much  agitated. 

"How  in  the  devil's  name,"  he  thought  to  himself, 
"did  Kaminez  ever  come  to  marry  such  a  woman  as 
this  ?  She's  fit  for  a  queen.  But  they  say  he  used  to 
be  a  great  swell  in  Spain  before  he  got  into  trouble, 
and  I  expect  he's  put  on  his  old  airs  again,  and  an 
American  lady  will  marry  anybody  that's  a  foreign 

377 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

swell.  And  how  neatly  she  played  into  my  hand ! 
She  let  me  know  right  away  that  she  wanted  a  letter, 
which  means,  of  course,  that  Kaminez  is  not  with 
her." 

"Give  me  the  letter,  if  you  please,"  said  Edna. 

"Madam,"  said  Banker,  with  a  bow,  "I  told  you  I 
had  a  letter  and  a  message.  I  must  deliver  the  mes 
sage  first." 

"Then  be  quick  with  it,"  said  she. 

"I  will,"  said  Banker.  "Our  captain  has  had  great 
success  lately,  you  know,  but  he  is  obliged  to  keep  a 
little  in  the  background  for  the  present,  as  you  will 
see  by  your  letter,  and  as  it  is  a  very  particular  letter, 
indeed,  he  ordered  me  to  bring  it  to  you." 

Edna's  heart  sank.  "What  has  happened!"  said 
she.  "Why-" 

"Oh,  you  will  find  all  that  in  the  letter,"  said 
Banker.  "The  captain  has  written  out  everything, 
full  and  clear.  He  told  me  so  himself.  But  I  must 
get  through  with  my  message.  It  is  not  from  him. 
It  is  from  me.  As  I  just  said,  he  ordered  me  to  bring 
you  this  letter,  and  it  was  a  hard  thing  to  do,  and  a 
risky  thing  to  do.  But  I  undertook  the  job  of  giving 
it  to  you,  in  private,  without  anybody's  knowing  you 
had  received  it." 

"What ! "  exclaimed  Edna.     "Nobody  to  know  ! " 

"Oh,  that  is  all  explained,"  said  he,  hurriedly.  "I 
can't  touch  on  that.  My  affair  is  this :  The  captain 
sent  me  with  the  letter,  and  I  have  been  to  a  lot  of 
trouble  to  get  it  to  you.  Now,  he  is  not  going  to  pay 
me  for  all  this,— if  he  thanks  me,  it  will  be  more  than 
I  expect,— and  I  am  going  to  be  perfectly  open  and 
honest  with  you,  and  say  that  as  the  captain  won't 

378 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

pay  me,  I  expect  you  to  do  it ;  or,  putting  it  in  an 
other  way,  before  I  hand  you  the  letter  I  brought  you, 
I  want  you  to  make  me  a  handsome  present." 

"You  rascal ! "  exclaimed  Edna.  "How  dare  you 
impose  on  me  in  this  way  1 " 

It  humiliated  and  mortified  her  to  think  that  the 
captain  was  obliged  to  resort  to  such  a  messenger  as 
this.  But  all  sorts  of  men  become  sailors,  and  al 
though  her  pride  revolted  against  the  attempted 
imposition,  the  man  had  a  letter  written  to  her  by 
Captain  Horn,  and  she  must  have  it. 

"How  much  do  you  want? "  said  she. 

"I  don't  mind  your  calling  me  names,"  said  Banker. 
"The  captain  has  made  a  grand  stroke,  you  know, 
and  everything  about  you  is  very  fine,  while  I  haven't 
three  francs  to  jingle  together.  I  want  one  thousand 
dollars." 

"Five  thousand  francs!"  exclaimed  Edna.  "Ab 
surd  !  I  have  not  that  much  money  with  me.  I 
haven't  but  a  hundred  francs,  but  that  ought  to 
satisfy  you." 

"Oh,  no,"  said  Banker,  "not  at  all.  But  don't  trouble 
yourself.  You  have  not  the  money,  and  I  have  not  the 
letter.  The  letter  is  in  my  lodgings.  I  was  not  fool 
enough  to  bring  it  with  me,  and  have  you  call  a  police 
man  to  arrest  me,  and  take  it  for  nothing.  But  if 
you  will  be  here  in  two  hours,  with  five  thousand 
francs,  and  will  promise  me,  upon  your  honor,  that 
you  will  bring  no  one  with  you,  and  will  not  call  the 
police  as  soon  as  you  have  the  letter,  I  will  be  here 
with  it." 

"Yes,"  said  Edna,  "I  promise." 

She  felt  humbled  and  ashamed  as  she  said  it,  but 
379 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

there  was  nothing  else  to  do.  In  spite  of  her  feelings, 
in  spite  of  the  cost,  she  must  have  the  letter. 

"Very  good,"  said  Banker,  and  he  departed. 

Banker  had  no  lodgings  in  particular,  but  he  went 
to  a  brasserie  and  procured  writing  materials.  He 
had  some  letters  in  his  pocket,— old,  dirty  letters  which 
had  been  there  for  a  long  time,— and  one  of  them  was 
from  Raminez,  which  had  been  written  when  they 
were  both  in  California,  and  which  Banker  had  kept 
because  it  contained  an  unguarded  reference  to  Ra- 
minez's  family  in  Spain,  and  Banker  had  thought  that 
the  information  might  some  day  be  useful  to  him. 
He  was  a  good  penman,  this  Rackbird,— he  was  clever 
in  many  ways, — and  he  could  imitate  handwriting  very 
well,  and  he  set  himself  to  work  to  address  an  enve 
lope  in  the  handwriting  of  Raminez. 

For  some  time  he  debated  within  himself  as  to  what 
title  he  should  use  in  addressing  the  lady.  Should  it 
be  "Senora  "  or  "Madame  "  ?  He  inclined  to  the  first 
appellation,  but  afterwards  thought  that  as  the  letter 
was  to  go  to  her  in  France,  and  that  as  most  likely  she 
understood  French,  and  not  Spanish,  Raminez  would 
probably  address  her  in  the  former  language,  and 
therefore  he  addressed  the  envelope  to  "Madame  Ra 
minez,  by  private  hand."  As  to  the  writing  of  a 
letter  he  did  not  trouble  himself  at  all.  He  simply 
folded  up  two  sheets  of  paper  and  put  them  in  the 
envelope,  sealing  it  tightly.  Now  he  was  prepared, 
and  after  waiting  until  the  proper  time  had  arrived 
he  proceeded  to  the  Gardens. 

Edna  drove  to  her  hotel  in  great  agitation.  She 
was  angry,  she  was  astounded,  she  was  almost  fright 
ened.  What  could  have  happened  to  Captain  Horn! 

380 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

But  two  things  encouraged  and  invigorated  her :  he 
was  alive,  and  he  had  written  to  her.  That  was  every 
thing,  and  she  would  banish  all  speculations  and  fears 
until  she  had  read  his  letter,  and,  until  she  had  read 
it,  she  must  keep  the  matter  a  secret— she  must  not  let 
anybody  imagine  that  she  had  heard  anything,  or  was 
about  to  hear  anything.  By  good  fortune,  she  had 
five  thousand  francs  in  hand,  and,  with  these  in  her 
pocket-book,  she  ordered  her  carriage  half  an  hour 
before  the  time  appointed. 

When  Cheditafa  heard  the  order,  he  was  beset  by  a 
new  consternation.  He  had  been  greatly  troubled 
when  his  mistress  had  gone  to  the  Gardens  the  first 
time— not  because  there  was  anything  strange  in  that, 
for  any  lady  might  like  to  walk  in  such  a  beautiful 
place,  but  because  she  was  alone,  and,  with  a  Rackbird 
in  Paris,  his  lady  ought  never  to  be  alone.  She  had 
come  out  safely,  and  he  had  breathed  again,  and  now, 
now  she  wanted  to  go  back  !  He  must  tell  her  about 
that  Rackbird  man.  He  had  been  thinking  and  think 
ing  about  telling  her  all  the  way  back  to  the  hotel, 
but  he  had  feared  to  frighten  her,  and  he  had  also 
been  afraid  to  say  that  he  had  done  what  he  had  been 
ordered  not  to  do,  and  had  told  some  one  that  she  was 
the  captain's  wife.  But  when  he  had  reached  the 
Gardens,  he  felt  that  he  must  say  something— she  must 
not  walk  about  alone.  Accordingly,  as  Edna  stepped 
out  of  the  carriage,  he  began  to  speak  to  her,  but, 
contrary  to  her  usual  custom,  she  paid  no  attention  to 
him,  simply  telling  him  to  wait  until  she  came  back. 

Edna  was  obliged  to  wander  about  for  some  time 
before  Banker  appeared. 

"Now,  then,  madam,"  said  he,  "don't  let  us  waste 
381 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

any  time  on  this  business.  Have  you  the  money  with 
you?" 

"I  have,"  said  she.  "But  before  I  give  it  to  you, 
I  tell  you  that  I  do  so  under  protest,  and  that  this 
conduct  of  yours  shall  be  reported.  I  consider  it  a 
most  shameful  thing,  and  I  do  not  willingly  pay  you 
for  what,  no  doubt,  you  have  been  sufficiently  paid 
before." 

"That's  all  very  well,"  said  Banker,  "I  don't  mind 
a  bit  what  you  say  to  me.  I  don't  mind  your  being 
angry— in  fact,  I  think  you  ought  to  be.  In  your 
place,  I  would  be  angry.  But  if  you  will  hand  me 
the  money — " 

"Silence  ! "  exclaimed  Edna.  "Not  another  word. 
Where  is  my  letter?" 

"Here  it  is,"  said  Banker,  drawing  the  letter  he  had 
prepared  from  his  pocket,  and  holding  it  in  such  a 
position  that  she  could  read  the  address.  "You  see, 
it  is  marked,  'by  private  hand,'  and  this  is  the  private 
hand  that  has  brought  it  to  you.  Now,  if  you  will 
count  out  the  money,  and  will  hand  it  to  me,  I  will 
give  you  the  letter.  That  is  perfectly  fair,  isn't  it?  " 

Edna  leaned  forward  and  looked  at  it.  When 
she  saw  the  superscription,  she  was  astonished,  and 
stepped  back. 

"AVhat  do  you  mean?"  she  exclaimed,  and  was 
about  to  angrily  assert  that  she  was  not  Madame  Ea- 
minez,  when  Banker  interrupted  her.  The  sight  of 
her  pocket-book  within  two  feet  of  his  hands  threw 
him  into  a  state  of  avaricious  excitement. 

"I  want  you  to  give  me  that  money,  and  take  your 
letter  ! "  he  said  savagely.  "I  can't  stand  here  fool 


ing." 


382 


"I  want  you  to  give  me  that  money,  and  take  your  letter!" 
he  said  savagely. 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Edna  firmly  gripped  her  pocket-book,  and  was 
about  to  scream,  but  there  was  no  occasion  for  it.  It 
had  been  simply  impossible  for  Cheditafa  to  remain 
on  the  carriage  and  let  her  go  into  the  Gardens  alone  ; 
he  had  followed  her,  and,  behind  some  bushes,  he 
had  witnessed  the  interview  between  her  and  Banker. 
He  saw  that  the  man  was  speaking  roughly  to  her 
and  threatening  her.  Instantly  he  rushed  toward  the 
two,  and  at  the  very  top  of  his  voice  he  yelled : 

"Eackbird  !     Eackbird  !     Police  ! " 

Startled  out  of  her  senses,  Edna  stepped  back,  while 
Banker  turned  in  fury  toward  the  negro,  and  clapped 
his  hand  to  his  hip  pocket.  But  Cheditafa's  cries  had 
been  heard,  and  down  the  broad  avenue  Banker  saw 
two  gendarmes  running  toward  him.  It  would  not  do 
to  wait  here  and  meet  them. 

"You  devil ! "  he  cried,  turning  to  Cheditafa,  "I'll 
have  your  blood  before  you  know  it.  As  for  you, 
madam,  you  have  broken  your  word !  I'll  be  even 
with  you  ! "  And,  with  this,  he  dashed  away. 

When  the  gendarmes  reached  the  spot,  they  waited 
to  ask  no  questions,  but  immediately  pursued  the 
flying  Banker.  Cheditafa  was  about  to  join  in  the 
chase,  but  Edna  stopped  him. 

"Come  to  the  carriage— quick !"  she  said.  "I  do 
not  wish  to  stay  here  and  talk  to  those  policemen." 
Hurrying  out  of  the  Gardens,  she  drove  away. 

The  ex-Eackbird  was  a  very  hard  man  to  catch. 
He  had  had  so  much  experience  in  avoiding  arrest 
that  his  skill  in  that  direction  was  generally  more 
than  equal  to  the  skill,  in  the  opposite  direction,  of  the 
ordinary  detective.  A  good  many  people  and  two 
other  gendarmes  joined  in  the  chase  after  the  man  in 

383 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

the  slouch-hat,  who  had  disappeared  like  a  mouse  or 
a  hare  around  some  shrubbery.  It  was  not  long  before 
the  pursuers  were  joined  by  a  man  in  a  white  cap,  who 
asked  several  questions  as  to  what  they  were  running 
after,  but  he  did  not  seem  to  take  a  sustained  interest 
in  the  matter,  and  soon  dropped  out  and  went  about 
his  business.  He  did  not  take  his  slouch-hat  out  of 
his  pocket,  for  he  thought  it  would  be  better  to  con 
tinue  to  wear  his  white  cap  for  a  time. 

When  the  police  were  obliged  to  give  up  the  pur 
suit,  they  went  back  to  the  Gardens  to  talk  to  the 
lady  and  her  servant  who,  in  such  strange  words,  had 
called  to  them,  but  they  were  not  there. 


384 


CHAPTER  XLV 

MENTAL  TURMOILS 

EDNA  went  home  faint,  trembling,  and  her  head  in  a 
whirl.  When  she  had  heard  Cheditafa  shout  "Eack- 
bird,"  the  thought  flashed  into  her  mind  that  the  cap 
tain  had  been  captured  in  the  caves  by  some  of  these 
brigands  who  had  not  been  destroyed,  that  this  was 
the  cause  of  his  silence,  and  that  he  had  written  to  her 
for  help.  But  she  considered  that  the  letter  could  not 
be  meant  for  her,  for  under  no  circumstance  would  he 
have  written  to  her  as  Madame  Eaminez— a  name  of 
which  she  had  never  heard.  This  thought  gave  her  a 
little  comfort,  but  not  much.  As  soon  as  she  reached 
the  hotel,  she  had  a  private  talk  with  Cheditafa,  and 
what  the  negro  told  her  reassured  her  greatly. 

He  did  not  make  a  very  consecutive  tale,  but  he 
omitted  nothing.  He  told  her  of  his  meeting  with  the 
Eackbird  in  front  of  the  Bon  Marche,  and  he  related 
every  word  of  their  short  conversation.  He  accounted 
for  this  Eackbird's  existence  by  saying  that  he  had 
not  been  at  the  camp  when  the  water  came  down.  In 
answer  to  a  question  from  Edna,  he  said  that  the 
captain  of  the  band  was  named  Eaminez,  and  that  he 
had  known  him  by  that  name  when  he  first  saw  him 

385 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

in  Panama,  though  in  the  Eackbirds'  camp  he  was 
called  nothing  but  "  the  captain." 

"And  you  only  told  him  I  was  the  captain's  wife? " 
asked  Edna.  "You  didn't  say  I  was  Captain  Horn's 
wife?" 

Cheditafa  tried  his  best  to  recollect,  and  he  felt  very 
sure  that  he  had  simply  said  she  was  the  captain's 
wife. 

When  his  examination  was  finished,  Cheditafa  burst 
into  an  earnest  appeal  to  his  mistress  not  to  go  out 
again  alone  while  she  stayed  in  Paris.  He  said  that 
this  Rackbird  was  an  awfully  wicked  man,  and  that  he 
would  kill  all  of  them  if  he  could.  If  the  police  caught 
him.,  he  wanted  to  go  and  tell  them  what  a  bad  man 
he  was.  He  did  not  believe  the  police  had  caught  him. 
This  man  could  run  like  a  wild  hare,  and  policemen's 
legs  were  so  stiff. 

Edna  assured  him  that  she  would  take  good  care  of 
herself,  and,  after  enjoining  upon  him  not  to  say  a 
word  to  any  one  of  what  had  happened  until  she  told 
him  to,  she  sent  him  away. 

When  Edna  sat  in  council  with  herself  upon  the 
events  of  the  morning,  she  was  able  to  make  some 
very  fair  conjectures  as  to  what  had  happened.  The 
scoundrel  she  met  had  supposed  her  to  be  the  wife  of 
the  Rackbirds'  captain.  Having  seen  and  recognized 
Cheditafa,  it  was  natural  enough  for  him  to  suppose 
that  the  negro  had  been  brought  to  Paris  by  some  of 
the  band.  All  this  seemed  to  be  good  reasoning,  and 
she  insisted  to  herself  over  and  over  again  that  she  was 
quite  sure  that  Captain  Horn  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  letter  which  the  man  had  been  intending  to  give 
her. 

386 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

That  assurance  relieved  her  of  one  great  trouble, 
but  there  were  others  left.  Here  was  a  member  of  a 
band  of  bloody  ruffians,— and  perhaps  he  had  com 
panions, — who  had  sworn  vengeance  against  her  and 
her  faithful  servant,  and  Cheditafa's  account  of  this 
man  convinced  her  that  he  would  be  ready  enough  to 
carry  out  such  vengeance.  She  scarcely  believed  that 
the  police  had  caught  him.  For  she  had  seen  how  he 
could  run,  and  he  had  the  start  of  them.  But  even  if 
they  had,  on  what  charge  would  he  be  held?  He 
ought  to  be  confined  or  deported,  but  she  did  not  wish 
to  institute  proceedings  and  give  evidence.  She  did 
not  know  what  might  be  asked,  or  said,  or  done,  if  she 
deposed  that  the  man  was  a  member  of  the  Eackbird 
band,  and  brought  Cheditafa  as  a  witness. 

In  all  this  trouble  and  perplexity  she  had  no  one  to 
whom  she  could  turn  for  advice  and  assistance.  If 
she  told  Mrs.  Cliff  there  was  a  Rackbird  in  Paris,  and 
that  he  had  been  making  threats,  she  was  sure  that 
good  lady  would  fly  to  her  home  in  Plainton,  Maine, 
where  she  would  have  iron  bars  put  to  all  the  win 
dows,  and  double  locks  to  her  doors. 

In  this  great  anxiety  and  terror— for,  although  Edna 
was  a  brave  woman,  it  terrified  her  to  think  that  a 
wild  and  reckless  villain,  purple  with  rage,  had  shaken 
his  fist  at  her,  and  vowed  he  would  kill  Cheditafa— she 
could  not  think  of  a  soul  she  could  trust. 

Her  brother,  fortunately,  was  still  in  Belgium  with 
his  tutor — fortunately,  she  thought,  because,  if  he 
knew  of  the  affair,  he  would  be  certain  to  plunge  him 
self  into  danger.  And  to  whom  could  she  apply  for 
help  without  telling  too  much  of  her  story  ? 

Mrs.  Cliff  felt  there  was  something  in  the  air.     "You 

387 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

seem  queer,"  said  she.  "You  seem  unusually  excited 
and  ready  to  laugh.  It  isn't  natural.  And  Cheditafa 
looks  very  ashy.  I  saw  him  just  a  moment  ago,  and 
it  seems  to  me  a  dose  of  quinine  would  do  him  good. 
It  may  be  that  it  is  a  sort  of  spring  fever  which  is 
affecting  people,  and  I  am  not  sure  but  that  something 
of  the  kind  is  the  matter  with  me.  At  any  rate,  there 
is  that  feeling  in  my  spine  and  bones  which  I  always 
have  when  things  are  about  to  happen,  or  when  there 
is  malaria  in  the  air." 

Edna  felt  she  must  endeavor  in  all  possible  ways  to 
prevent  Mrs.  Cliff  from  finding  out  that  the  curses  of 
a  wicked  Rackbird  were  in  the  air,  but  she  herself 
shuddered  when  she  thought  that  one  or  more  of  the 
cruel  desperadoes,  whose  coming  they  had  dreaded 
and  waited  for  through  that  fearful  night  in  the  caves 
of  Peru,  were  now  to  be  dreaded  and  feared  in  the 
metropolis  of  France.  If  Edna  shuddered  at  this, 
what  would  Mrs.  Cliff  do  if  she  knew  it? 

As  for  the  man  with  the  white  cap,  who  had  walked 
slowly  away  about  his  business  that  morning  when  he 
grew  tired  of  following  the  gendarmes,  he  was  in  a 
terrible  state  of  mind.  He  silently  raged  and  stormed 
and  gnashed  his  teeth,  and  swore  under  his  breath 
most  awfully  and  continuously.  Never  had  he  known 
such  cursed  luck.  One  thousand  dollars  had  been 
within  two  feet  of  his  hand  !  He  knew  that  the  lady 
had  that  sum  in  her  pocket-book.  He  was  sure  she 
spoke  truthfully.  Her  very  denunciation  of  him  was 
a  proof  that  she  had  not  meant  to  deceive  him.  She 
hesitated  a  moment,  but  she  would  have  given  him 
the  money.  In  a  few  seconds  more  he  would  have 
made  her  take  the  letter  and  give  him  the  price  she 

388 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

promised.  But  in  those  few  seconds  that  Gehenna- 
born  baboon  had  rushed  in  and  spoiled  everything. 
He  was  not  enraged  against  the  lady,  but  he  was  en 
raged  against  himself  because  he  had  not  snatched  the 
wallet  before  he  ran,  and  he  was  infuriated  to  a  degree 
which  resembled  intoxication  when  he  thought  of 
Cheditafa  and  what  he  had  done.  The  more  he 
thought,  the  more  convinced  he  became  that  the  lady 
had  not  brought  the  negro  with  her  to  spy  on  him. 
If  she  had  intended  to  break  her  word,  she  would  have 
brought  a  gendarme,  not  that  ape. 

No,  the  beastly  blackamoor  had  done  the  business 
on  his  own  account.  He  had  sneaked  after  the  lady, 
and  when  he  saw  the  gendarmes  coming,  he  had 
thought  it  a  good  chance  to  pay  off  old  scores. 

"Pay  off!"  growled  Banker,  in  a  tone  which  made 
a  shop-girl,  who  was  walking  in  front  of  him  carrying 
a  band-box,  jump  so  violently  that  she  dropped  the 
box.  "Pay  off!  I'll  pay  him  ! "  And  for  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  he  vowed  that  the  present  purpose  of  his  life 
was  the  annihilation,  the  bloody  annihilation,  of  that 
vile  dog,  whom  he  had  trampled  into  the  dirt  of  the 
Pacific  coast,  and  who  now,  decked  in  fine  clothes,  had 
arisen  in  Paris  to  balk  him  of  his  fortune. 

It  cut  Banker  very  deeply  when  he  thought  how 
neat  and  simple  had  been  the  plan  which  had  almost 
succeeded.  He  had  had  a  notion,  when  he  went  away 
to  prepare  the  letter  for  the  captain's  wife,  that  he 
would  write  in  it  a  brief  message  which  would  mean 
nothing,  but  would  make  it  necessary  for  her  to  see  him 
again  and  to  pay  him  again.  But  he  had  abandoned 
this.  He  might  counterfeit  an  address,  but  it  was 
wiser  not  to  try  his  hand  upon  a  letter.  The  more  he 

389 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

thought  about  Kaminez,  the  less  he  desired  to  run  the 
risk  of  meeting  him,  even  in  Paris.  So  he  considered 
that  if  he  made  this  one  bold  stroke  and  got  five  thou 
sand  francs,  he  would  retire,  joyful  and  satisfied.  But 
now !  Well,  he  had  a  purpose :  the  annihilation  of 
Cheditafa  was  at  present  his  chief  object  in  life. 

Banker  seldom  stayed  in  one  place  more  than  a  day 
at  a  time,  and  before  he  went  to  a  new  lodging,  that 
night,  he  threw  away  his  slouch-hat,  which  he  had 
rammed  into  his  pocket,  for  he  would  not  want  it 
again.  He  had  his  hair  cut  short  and  his  face  neatly 
shaved,  and  when  he  went  to  his  room,  he  trimmed 
his  mustache  in  such  a  way  that  it  greatly  altered  the 
cast  of  his  countenance.  He  was  not  the  penniless  man 
he  had  represented  himself  to  be,  who  had  not  three 
francs  to  jingle  together,  for  he  was  a  billiard  sharper 
and  gambler  of  much  ability,  and  when  he  appeared 
in  the  street,  the  next  morning,  he  was  neatly  dressed 
in  a  suit  of  second-hand  clothes  which  were  as  quiet 
and  respectable  as  any  tourist  of  limited  means  could 
nave  desired.  With  Baedeker's  "Paris"  in  his  hand, 
and  with  a  long  knife  and  a  slung-shot  concealed  in  his 
clothes,  he  went  forth  to  behold  the  wonders  of  the 
great  city. 

He  did  not  seem  to  care  very  much  whether  he  saw 
the  sights  by  day  or  by  night,  for  from  early  morning 
until  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  he  was  an 
energetic  and  interested  wayfarer,  confining  his  ob 
servations,  however,  to  certain  quarters  of  the  city 
which  best  suited  his  investigations.  One  night  he 
gawkily  strolled  into  the  Black  Cat,  and  one  day  he 
boldly  entered  the  Hotel  Grenade  and  made  some  in 
quiries  of  the  porter  regarding  the  price  of  accommo- 

390 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

dations,  which,  however,  he  declared  were  far  above 
his  means.  That  day  he  saw  Mok  in  the  courtyard,  and 
once,  in  passing,  he  saw  Edna  come  out  and  enter  her 
carriage  with  an  elderly  lady,  and  they  drove  away, 
with  Cheditafa  on  the  box. 

Under  his  dark  sack-coat  Banker  wore  a  coarse 
blouse,  and  in  the  pocket  of  this  undergarment  he  had 
a  white  cap.  He  was  a  wonderful  man  to  move  quietly 
out  of  people's  way,  and  there  were  places  in  every 
neighborhood  where,  even  in  the  daytime,  he  could 
cast  off  the  dark  coat  and  the  derby  hat  without  at 
tracting  attention. 

It  was  satisfactory  to  think,  as  he  briskly  passed  on, 
as  one  who  has  much  to  see  in  a  little  time,  that  the 
incident  in  the  Tuileries  Gardens  had  not  yet  caused 
the  captain's  wife  to  change  her  quarters. 


391 


CHAPTER  XLVI 

A   PROBLEM 

IT  was  a  little  more  than  a  week  after  Edna's  adven 
ture  in  the  Gardens,  and  about  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  that  something  happened— something  which 
proved  that  Mrs.  Cliff  was  entirely  right  when  she 
tar  ed  about  the  feeling  in  her  bones.  Edna  received 
a  letter  from  Captain  Horn,  which  was  dated  at  Mar 
seilles. 

As  she  stood  with  the  letter  in  her  hand,  every  nerve 
tingling,  every  vein  throbbing,  and  every  muscle 
as  rigid  as  if  it  had  been  cast  in  metal,  she  could 
scarcely  comprehend  that  it  had  really  come— that  she 
really  held  it.  After  all  this  waiting  and  hoping  and 
trusting,  here  was  news  from  Captain  Horn— news  by 
his  own  hand,  now,  here,  this  minute  ! 

Presently  she  regained  possession  of  herself,  and,  still 
standing,  she  tore  open  the  letter.  It  was  a  long  one 
of  several  sheets,  and  she  read  it  twice.  The  first  time, 
standing  where  she  had  received  it,  she  skimmed  over 
page  after  page,  running  her  eye  from  top  to  bottom 
until  she  had  reached  the  end  and  the  signature,  but 
her  quick  glance  found  not  what  she  looked  for.  Then 
the  hand  holding  the  letter  dropped  by  her  side. 

392 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

After  all  this  waiting  and  hoping  and  trusting,  to  re 
ceive  such  a  letter  !  It  might  have  been  written  by  a 
good  friend,  a  true  and  generous  friend,  but  that  was 
all.  It  was  like  the  other  letters  he  had  written. 
Why  should  they  not  have  been  written  to  Mrs.  Cliff? 

Now  she  sat  down  to  read  it  over  again.  She  first 
looked  at  the  envelope.  Yes,  it  was  really  directed  to 
"Mrs.  Philip  Horn."  That  was  something,  but  it  could 
not  have  been  less.  It  had  been  brought  by  a  mes 
senger  from  Wraxton,  Fuguet  &  Co.,  and  had  been 
delivered  to  Mrs.  Cliff.  That  lady  had  told  the  mes 
senger  to  take  the  letter  to  Edna's  salon,  and  she  was 
now  lying  in  her  own  chamber,  in  a  state  of  actual 
ague.  Of  course,  she  would  not  intrude  upon  Edna  at 
such  a  moment  as  this.  She  would  wait  until  she  was 
called.  Whether  her  shivers  were  those  of  ecstasy, 
apprehension,  or  that  nervous  tremulousness  which 
would  come  to  any  one  who  beholds  an  uprising  from 
the  grave,  she  did  not  know,  but  she  surely  felt  as  if 
there  were  a  ghost  in  the  air. 

The  second  reading  of  the  letter  was  careful  and 
exact.  The  captain  had  written  a  long  account  of 
what  had  happened  after  he  had  left  Valparaiso.  His 
former  letter,  he  wrote,  had  told  her  what  had  hap 
pened  before  that  time.  He  condensed  everything  as 
much  as  possible,  but  the  letter  was  a  very  long  one. 
It  told  wonderful  things— things  which  ought  to  have 
interested  any  one.  But  to  Edna  it  was  as  dry  as  a 
meal  of  stale  crusts.  It  supported  her  in  her  fidelity 
and  allegiance  as  such  a  meal  would  have  supported  a 
half-famished  man,  but  that  was  all.  Her  soul  could 
not  live  on  such  nutriment  as  this. 

He  had  not  begun  the  letter  "My  dear  Wife,"  as  he 
393 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

had  done  before.  It  was  not  necessary  now  that  his 
letters  should  be  used  as  proof  that  she  was  his  widow  ! 
He  had  plunged  instantly  into  the  subject-matter, 
and  had  signed  it  after  the  most  friendly  fashion.  He 
was  not  even  coming  to  her  !  There  was  so  much  to 
do  which  must  be  done  immediately,  and  could  not  be 
done  without  him.  He  had  telegraphed  to  his  bank 
ers,  and  one  of  the  firm  and  several  clerks  were  already 
with  him.  There  were  great  difficulties  yet  before 
him,  in  which  he  needed  the  aid  of  financial  counsel 
lors  and  those  who  had  influence  with  the  authorities. 
His  vessel,  the  Arato,  had  no  papers,  and  he  believed 
no  cargo  of  such  value  had  ever  entered  a  port  of 
France  as  that  contained  in  the  little  green-hulled 
schooner  which  he  had  sailed  into  the  harbor  of 
Marseilles.  This  cargo  must  be  landed  openly.  It 
must  be  shipped  to  various  financial  centres,  and  what 
Avas  to  be  done  required  so  much  prudence,  knowledge, 
and  discretion  that  without  the  aid  of  the  house  of 
Wraxton,  Fuguet  &  Co.,  he  believed  his  difficulties 
would  have  been  greater  than  when  he  stood  behind 
the  wall  of  gold  on  the  shore  of  the  Patagonian 
island. 

He  did  not  even  ask  her  to  come  to  him.  In  a  day 
or  so,  he  wrote,  it  might  be  necessary  for  him  to  go  to 
Berlin,  and  whether  or  not  he  would  travel  to  London 
from  the  German  capital,  he  could  not  say,  and  for 
this  reason  he  could  not  invite  any  of  them  to  come 
down  to  him. 

"Any  of  us  ! "  exclaimed  Edna. 

For  more  than  an  hour  Mrs.  Cliff  lay  in  the  state  of 
palpitation  which  pervaded  her  whole  organization, 
waiting  for  Edna  to  call  her.  And  at  last  she  could 

394 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

wait  no  longer,  and  rushed  into  the  salon  where  Edna 
sat  alone,  the  letter  in  her  hand. 

"What  does  he  say?"  she  cried.  "Is  he  well! 
Where  is  he?  Did  he  get  the  gold?  " 

Edna  looked  at  her  for  a  moment  without  answering. 
"Yes,"  she  said  presently,  "he  is  well.  He  is  in  Mar 
seilles.  The  gold — "  And  for  a  moment  she  did  not 
remember  whether  or  not  the  captain  had  it. 

"Oh,  do  say  something!"  almost  screamed  Mrs. 
Cliff.  "What  is  it?  Shall  I  read  the  letter?  What 
does  he  say  ? " 

This  recalled  Edna  to  herself.  "No,"  said  she,  "I 
will  read  it  to  you."  And  she  read  it  aloud,  from  be 
ginning  to  end,  carefully  omitting  those  passages 
which  Mrs.  Cliff  would  have  been  sure  to  think  should 
have  been  written  in  a  manner  in  which  they  were 
not  written. 

"Well ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff,  who,  in  alternate 
horror,  pity,  and  rapture,  had  listened,  pale  and  open- 
mouthed,  to  the  letter.  "Captain  Horn  is  consistent 
to  the  end  !  Whatever  happens,  he  keeps  away  from 
us  !  But  that  will  not  be  for  long,  and— oh,  Edna  !  "— 
and,  as  she  spoke,  she  sprang  from  her  chair  and  threw 
her  arms  around  the  neck  of  her  companion,  "he's  got 
the  gold  ! "  And,  with  this,  the  poor  lady  sank  insen 
sible  upon  the  floor. 

"The  gold!"  exclaimed  Edna,  before  she  even 
stooped  toward  her  fainting  friend.  "Of  what  impor 
tance  is  that  wretched  gold  ! " 

An  hour  afterwards  Mrs.  Cliff,  having  been  restored 
to  her  usual  condition,  came  again  into  Edna's  room, 
still  pale  and  in  a  state  of  excitement. 

"Now,  I  suppose,"  she  exclaimed,  "we  can  speak  out 
395 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

plainly,  and  tell  everybody  everything.  And  I  be 
lieve  that  will  be  to  me  a  greater  delight  than  any 
amount  of  money  could  possibly  be." 

"Speak  out !  "  cried  Edna.  "Of  course  we  cannot. 
We  have  no  more  right  to  speak  out  now  than  we 
ever  had.  Captain  Horn  insisted  that  we  should  not 
speak  of  these  affairs  until  he  came,  and  he  has  not 
yet  come." 

"No,  indeed  ! "  said  Mrs.  Cliff.  "That  seems  to  be 
the  one  thing  he  cannot  do.  He  can  do  everything 
but  come  here.  And  are  we  to  tell  nobody  that  he 
has  arrived  in  France?— not  even  that  much?" 

"I  shall  tell  Kalph,"  replied  Edna.  "I  shall  write 
to  him  to  come  here  as  soon  as  possible,  but  that  is  all 
until  the  captain  arrives,  and  we  know  everything 
that  has  been  done,  and  is  to  be  done.  I  don't  wish 
any  one,  except  you  and  me  and  Kalph,  even  to 
know  that  I  have  heard  from  him." 

"Not  Cheditafa?  Not  the  professor?  Nor  any  of 
your  friends  ?  " 

"Of  course  not,"  said  Edna,  a  little  impatiently. 
"Don't  you  see  how  embarrassing,  how  impossible  it 
would  be  for  me  to  tell  them  anything,  if  I  did  not 
tell  them  everything?  And  what  is  there  for  me  to 
tell  them?  When  we  have  seen  Captain  Horn,  we 
shall  all  know  who  we  are,  and  what  we  are,  and  then 
we  can  speak  out  to  the  world,  and  I  am  sure  I  shall 
be  glad  enough  to  do  it." 

"For  my  part,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  "I  think  we  all  know 
who  we  are  now.  I  don't  think  anybody  could  tell 
us.  And  I  think  it  would  have  been  a  great  deal 
better—" 

"No,  it  wouldn't ! "  exclaimed  Edna.  "Whatever 
396 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

you  were  going  to  say,  I  know  it  wouldn't  have  been 
better.  We  could  have  done  nothing  but  what  we 
have  done.  We  had  no  right  to  speak  of  Captain 
Horn's  affairs,  and  having  accepted  his  conditions, 
with  everything  else  that  he  has  given  us,  we  are 
bound  to  observe  them  until  he  removes  them.  So 
we  shall  not  talk  any  more  about  that." 

Poor  Mrs.  Cliff  sighed.  "So  I  must  keep  myself 
sealed  and  locked  up,  just  the  same  as  ever?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Edna,  "the  same  as  ever.  But  it 
cannot  be  for  long.  As  soon  as  the  captain  has  made 
his  arrangements,  we  shall  hear  from  him,  and  then 
everything  will  be  told." 

"Made  his  arrangements!"  repeated  Mrs.  Cliff. 
"That's  another  thing  I  don't  like.  It  seems  to  me 
that  if  everything  were  just  as  it  ought  to  be,  there 
wouldn't  be  so  many  arrangements  to  make,  and  he 
wouldn't  have  to  be  travelling  to  Berlin,  and  to  Lon 
don,  and  nobody  knows  where  else.  I  wonder  if 
people  are  giving  him  any  trouble  about  it !  We 
have  had  all  sorts  of  troubles  already,  and  now  that 
the  blessed  end  seems  almost  under  our  fingers,  I  hope 
we  are  not  going  to  have  more  of  it." 

"Our  troubles,"  said  Edna,  "are  nothing.  It  is  Cap 
tain  Horn  who  should  talk  in  that  way.  I  don't 
think  that,  since  the  day  we  left  San  Francisco,  any 
body  could  have  supposed  that  we  were  in  any  sort  of 
trouble." 

"I  don't  mean  outside  circumstances,"  said  Mrs. 
Cliff.  "But  I  suppose  we  have  all  got  souls  and  con 
sciences  inside  of  us,  and  when  they  don't  know  what 
to  do,  of  course  we  are  bound  to  be  troubled,  espe 
cially  as  they  don't  know  what  to  tell  us,  and  we 

397 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

know  whether  or  not  to  mind  them  when  they  do 
speak.  But  you  needn't  be  afraid  of  me.  I  shall  keep 
quiet— that  is,  as  long  as  I  can.  I  can't  promise  for 
ever." 

Edna  wrote  to  Kalph,  telling  him  of  the  captain's 
letter,  and  urging  him  to  come  to  Paris  as  soon  as 
possible.  It  was  scarcely  necessary  to  speak  to  him  of 
secrecy,  for  the  boy  was  wise  beyond  his  years.  She 
did  speak  of  it,  however,  but  very  circumspectly. 
She  knew  that  her  brother  would  never  admit  that 
there  was  any  reason  for  the  soul-rending  anxiety  with 
which  she  waited  the  captain's  return.  But  what 
ever  happened,  or  whatever  he  might  think  about 
what  should  happen,  she  wanted  Ralph  with  her. 
She  felt  herself  more  truly  alone  than  she  had  ever 
been  in  her  life. 

During  the  two  days  which  elapsed  before  Kalph 
reached  Paris  from  Brussels,  Edna  had  plenty  of  time 
to  think,  and  she  did  not  lose  any  of  it.  What  Mrs. 
Cliff  had  said  about  people  giving  trouble,  and  about 
her  conscience,  and  all  that,  had  touched  her  deeply. 
What  Captain  Horn  had  said  about  the  difficulties  he 
had  encountered  on  reaching  Marseilles,  and  what  he 
had  said  about  the  cargo  of  the  Arato  being  probably 
more  valuable  than  any  which  had  ever  entered  that 
port,  seemed  to  put  an  entirely  new  face  upon  the  re 
lations  between  her  and  the  owner  of  this  vast  wealth, 
if,  indeed,  he  were  able  to  establish  that  ownership. 
The  more  she  thought  of  this  point,  the  more  con 
temptible  appeared  her  own  position— that  is,  the 
position  she  had  assumed  when  she  and  the  cap 
tain  stood  together  for  the  last  time  on  the  shore  of 
Peru.  If  that  gold  truly  belonged  to  him,  if  he  had 

398 


ADVENTURES   O*    CAPTAIN  HORN 

really  succeeded  in  his  great  enterprise,  what  right 
had  she  to  insist  that  he  should  accept  her  as  a  con 
dition  of  his  safe  arrival  in  a  civilized  land  with  this 
matchless  prize,  with  no  other  right  than  was  given 
her  by  that  very  indefinite  contract  which  had  been 
entered  into,  as  she  felt  herself  forced  to  believe,  only 
for  her  benefit  in  case  he  should  not  reach  a  civilized 
land  alive? 

The  disposition  of  this  great  wealth  was  evidently 
an  anxiety  and  a  burden,  but  in  her  heart  she  believed 
that  the  greatest  of  his  anxieties  was  caused  by  his 
doubt  in  regard  to  the  construction  she  might  now 
place  upon  that  vague,  weird  ceremony  on  the  desert 
coast  of  Peru. 

The  existence  of  such  a  doubt  was  the  only  thing 
that  could  explain  the  tone  of  his  letters.  He  was  a 
man  of  firmness  and  decision,  and  when  he  had  reached 
a  conclusion,  she  knew  he  would  state  it  frankly,  with 
out  hesitation.  But  she  also  knew  that  he  was  a  man 
of  a  kind  and  tender  heart,  and  it  was  easy  to  under 
stand  how  that  disposition  had  influenced  his  action. 
By  no  word  or  phrase,  except  such  as  were  necessary 
to  legally  protect  her  in  the  rights  he  wished  to  give 
her  in  case  of  his  death,  had  he  written  anything  to 
indicate  that  he  or  she  were  not  both  perfectly  free  to 
plan  out  the  rest  of  their  lives  as  best  suited  them. 

In  a  certain  way,  his  kindness  was  cruelty.  It  threw 
too  much  upon  her.  She  believed  that  if  she  were  to 
assume  that  a  marriage  ceremony  performed  by  a  black 
man  from  the  wilds  of  Africa,  was  as  binding,  at  least, 
as  a  solemn  engagement,  he  would  accept  her  construc 
tion  and  all  its  consequences.  She  also  believed  that 
if  she  declared  that  ceremony  to  be  of  no  value  what- 

399 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

ever,  now  that  the  occasion  had  passed,  he  would  agree 
with  that  conclusion.  Everything  depended  upon  her. 
It  was  too  hard  for  her. 

To  exist  in  this  state  of  uncertainty  was  impossible 
for  a  woman  of  Edna's  organization.  At  any  hour 
Captain  Horn  might  appear.  How  should  she  receive 
him  ?  "What  had  she  to  say  to  him  ? 

For  the  rest  of  that  day  and  the  whole  of  the  night, 
her  mind  never  left  this  question  :  "What  am  I  to  say 
to  him  ?  "  She  had  replied  to  his  letter  by  a  telegram, 
and  simply  signed  herself  "Edna."  It  was  easy  enough 
to  telegraph  anywhere,  and  even  to  write,  without  as 
suming  any  particular  position  in  regard  to  him.  But 
when  he  came,  she  must  know  what  to  do  and  what 
to  say.  She  longed  for  Ralph's  coming,  but  she  knew 
he  could  not  help  her.  He  would  say  but  one  thing— 
that  which  he  had  always  said.  In  fact,  he  would  be 
no  better  than  Mrs.  Cliff.  But  he  was  her  own  flesh 
and  blood,  and  she  longed  for  him. 


CHAPTEE  XLVII 

A  MAN- CHIMPANZEE 

SINCE  the  affair  with  the  Rackbird,  Cheditafa  had 
done  his  duty  more  earnestly  than  ever  before.  He 
said  nothing  to  Mok  about  the  Kackbird.  He  had 
come  to  look  upon  his  fellow- African  as  a  very  low- 
creature,  not  much  better  than  a  chimpanzee.  During 
Ralph's  absence  Mok  had  fallen  into  all  sorts  of  ir 
regular  habits,  going  out  without  leave  whenever  he 
got  a  chance,  and  disporting  himself  generally  in  a 
very  careless  and  unservant-like  manner, 

On  the  evening  that  Ealph  was  expected  from 
Brussels,  Mok  was  missing.  Cheditafa  could  not  find 
him  in  any  of  the  places  where  he  ought  to  have  been, 
so  he  must  be  out  of  doors  somewhere,  and  Cheditafa 
went  to  look  for  him. 

This  was  the  first  time  that  Cheditafa  had  gone  into 
the  streets  alone  at  night  since  the  Rackbird  incident 
in  the  Tuileries  Gardens.  As  he  was  the  custodian  of 
Mok,  and  responsible  for  him,  he  did  not  wish  to  lose 
sight  of  him,  especially  on  this  evening. 

It  so  happened  that  when  Cheditafa  went  out  of  the 
hotel,  his  appearance  was  noticed  by  Mr.  Banker. 
There  was  nothing  remarkable  about  this,  for  the 

401 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

evening  was  the  time  when  the  ex-Rackbird  gave 
the  most  attention  to  the  people  who  came  out  of  the 
hotel.  When  he  saw  Cheditafa,  his  soul  warmed 
within  him.  Here  was  the  reward  of  patience  and 
steadfastness— everything  comes  to  those  who  wait. 

A  half-hour  before,  Banker  had  seen  Mok  leave  the 
hotel  and  make  his  way  toward  the  Black  Cat.  He 
did  not  molest  the  rapidly  walking  negro.  He  would 
not  have  disturbed  him  for  anything.  But  his  watch 
fulness  became  so  eager  and  intense  that  he  almost,  but 
not  quite,  exposed  himself  to  the  suspicion  of  a  passing 
gendarme.  He  now  expected  Cheditafa,  for  the  reason 
that  the  manner  of  the  younger  negro  indicated  that 
he  was  playing  truant.  It  was  likely  that  the  elder 
man  would  go  after  him,  and  this  was  exactly  what 
happened. 

Banker  allowed  the  old  African  to  go  his  way  with 
out  molestation,  for  the  brightly  lighted  neighborhood 
of  the  hotel  was  not  adapted  to  his  projected  perform 
ance.  But  he  followed  him  warily,  and,  when  they 
reached  a  quiet  street,  Banker  quickened  his  pace, 
passed  Cheditafa,  and,  suddenly  turning,  confronted 
him.  Then,  without  a  word  having  been  said,  there 
flashed  upon  the  mind  of  the  African  everything  that 
had  happened,  not  only  in  the  Tuileries  Gardens,  but 
in  the  Rackbirds'  camp,  and  at  the  same  time  a  pro 
phetic  feeling  of  what  was  about  to  happen. 

By  a  few  quick  pulls  and  jerks,  Banker  had  so  far 
removed  his  disguise  that  Cheditafa  knew  him  the 
instant  that  his  eyes  fell  upon  him.  His  knees  trem 
bled,  his  eyeballs  rolled  so  that  nothing  but  their 
whites  could  be  seen,  and  he  gave  himself  up  to  death. 
Then  spoke  out  the  terrible  Rackbird. 

402 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

What  lie  said  need  not  be  recorded  here,  but  every 
word  of  superheated  vengeance,  with  which  he  wished 
to  torture  the  soul  of  his  victim  before  striking  him  to 
the  earth,  went  straight  to  the  soul  of  Cheditafa,  as  if 
it  had  been  a  white-hot  iron.  His  chin  fell  upon  his 
breast.  He  had  but  one  hope,  and  that  was  that  he 
would  be  killed  quickly.  He  had  seen  people  killed  in 
the  horrible  old  camp,  and  the  man  before  him  he  be 
lieved  to  be  the  worst  Rackbird  of  them  all. 

When  Banker  had  finished  stabbing  and  torturing 
the  soul  of  the  African,  he  drew  a  knife  from  under 
his  coat,  and  down  fell  Cheditafa  on  his  knees. 

The  evening  was  rainy  and  dark,  and  the  little 
street  was  nearly  deserted.  Banker,  who  could  look 
behind  and  before  him  without  making  much  show  of 
turning  his  head,  had  made  himself  sure  of  this  before 
he  stepped  in  front  of  Cheditafa.  But  while  he  had 
been  pouring  out  his  torrent  of  heart-shrivelling  vitu 
peration,  he  had  ceased  to  look  before  and  behind  him, 
and  had  not  noticed  a  man  coming  down  the  street  in 
the  opposite  direction  to  that  in  which  they  had  been 
going. 

This  was  Mok,  who  was  much  less  of  a  fool  than 
Cheditafa  took  him  for.  He  had  calculated  that  he 
would  have  time  to  go  to  the  Black  Cat  and  drink 
two  glasses  of  beer  before  Kalph  was  likely  to  appear, 
and  he  also  made  up  his  mind  that  two  glasses  were 
as  much  as  he  could  dispose  of  without  exciting  the 
suspicions  of  the  young  man.  Therefore,  he  had  at 
tended  to  the  business  that  had  taken  him  out  of  doors 
on  that  rainy  night,  and  was  returning  to  the  hotel 
with  a  lofty  consciousness  of  having  done  wrong  in  a 
very  wise  and  satisfactory  manner. 

403 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

He  wore  india-rubber  overshoes,  because  the  pave 
ments  were  wet,  and  also  because  this  sort  of  foot-gear 
suited  him  better  than  hard,  unyielding  sole-leather. 
Had  he  had  his  own  way,  he  would  have  gone  bare 
footed,  but  that  would  have  created  comment  in  the 
streets  of  Paris — he  had  sense  enough  to  know  that. 

"When  he  first  perceived,  by  the  dim  light  of  a  street 
lamp,  two  persons  standing  together  on  his  side  of  the 
street,  his  conscience,  without  any  reason  for  it,  sug 
gested  that  he  cross  over  and  pass  by  without  attract 
ing  attention.  To  wrong- doers  attention  is  generally 
unwelcome. 

Mok  not  only  trod  with  the  softness  and  swiftness 
of  a  panther,  but  he  had  eyes  like  that  animal,  and 
if  there  were  any  light  at  all,  those  eyes  could  make 
good  use  of  it.  As  he  neared  the  two  men,  he  saw 
that  one  was  scolding  the  other.  Then  he  saw  the 
other  man  drop  down  on  his  knees.  Then,  being  still 
nearer,  he  perceived  that  the  man  on  his  knees  was 
Cheditafa.  Then  he  saw  the  man  in  front  of  him  draw 
a  knife  from  under  his  coat. 

As  a  rule,  Mok  was  a  coward,  but  two  glasses  of 
beer  were  enough  to  turn  his  nature  in  precisely  the 
opposite  direction.  A  glass  less  would  have  left  him 
timorous,  a  glass  more  would  have  made  him  foolhardy 
and  silly.  He  saw  that  somebody  was  about  to  stab 
his  old  friend.  In  five  long,  noiseless  steps,  or  leaps, 
he  was  behind  that  somebody,  and  had  seized  the  arm 
which  held  the  knife. 

With  a  movement  as  quick  as  the  stroke  of  a  rattle 
snake,  Banker  turned  upon  the  man  who  had  clutched 
his  arm,  and  when  he  saw  that  it  was  Mok,  his  fury 
grew  tornado-like.  With  a  great  oath,  and  a  power- 

404 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

ful  plunge  backward,  he  endeavored  to  free  his  arm 
from  the  grasp  of  the  negro.  But  he  did  not  do  it. 
Those  black  fingers  were  fastened  around  his  wrist  as 
though  they  had  been  fetters  forged  to  fit  him.  And 
in  the  desperate  struggle  the  knife  was  dropped. 

In  a  hand-to-hand  combat  with  a  chimpanzee,  a 
strong  man  would  have  but  little  chance  of  success, 
and  Mok,  under  the  influence  of  two  glasses  of  beer, 
was  a  man-chimpanzee.  When  Banker  swore,  and 
when  he  turned  so  that  the  light  of  the  street  lamp 
fell  upon  his  face,  Mok  recognized  him.  He  knew 
him  for  a  Eackbird  of  the  Rackbirds— as  the  cruel, 
black-eyed  savage  who  had  beaten  him,  trodden  upon 
him,  and  almost  crushed  the  soul  out  of  him,  in  that 
far-away  camp  by  the  sea.  How  this  man  should  have 
suddenly  appeared  in  Paris,  why  he  came  there,  and 
what  he  was  going  to  do,  whether  he  was  alone,  or 
with  his  band  concealed  in  the  neighboring  door 
ways,  Mok  did  not  trouble  his  mind  to  consider.  He 
held  in  his  brazen  grip  a  creature  whom  he  con 
sidered  worse  than  the  most  devilish  of  African  devils, 
a  villain  who  had  been  going  to  kill  Cheditafa. 

Every  nerve  under  his  black  skin,  every  muscle 
that  covered  his  bones,  and  the  two  glasses  of  beer, 
sung  out  to  him  that  the  Eackbird  could  not  get  away 
from  him,  and  that  the  great  hour  of  vengeance  had 
arrived. 

Banker  had  a  pistol,  but  he  had  no  chance  to  draw 
it.  The  arms  of  the  wild  man  were  around  him.  His 
feet  slipped  from  under  him,  and  instantly  the  two 
were  rolling  on  the  wet  pavement.  But  only  for  an 
instant.  Banker  was  quick  and  light  and  strong  to 
such  a  degree  that  no  man  but  a  man- chimpanzee 

405 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

could  have  overpowered  him  in  a  struggle  like  that. 
Both  were  on  their  feet  almost  as  quickly  as  they  went 
down,  but  do  what  he  would,  Banker  could  not  get 
out  his  pistol. 

Those  long  black  arms,  one  of  them  now  bared  to 
the  shoulder,  were  about  him  ever.  He  pulled,  and 
tugged,  and  swerved.  He  half  threw  him  one  instant, 
half  lifted  the  next,  but  never  could  loosen  the  grasp 
of  that  fierce  creature,  whose  whole  body  seemed  as 
tough  and  elastic  as  the  shoes  he  wore. 

Together  they  fell,  together  they  rolled  in  the  dirty 
slime,  together  they  rose  as  if  they  had  been  shot  up 
by  a  spring,  and  together  they  went  down  again,  roll 
ing  over  each  other,  pulling,  tearing,  striking,  gasping, 
and  panting. 

Cheditafa  had  gone.  The  moment  of  Mok's  ap 
pearance,  he  had  risen  and  fled.  There  were  now 
people  in  the  street.  Some  had  come  out  of  their 
houses,  hearing  the  noise  of  the  struggle,  for  Banker 
wore  heavy  shoes.  There  were  also  one  or  two  pedes 
trians  who  had  stopped,  unwilling  to  pass  men  who 
were  engaged  in  such  a  desperate  conflict. 

No  one  interfered.  It  would  have  seemed  as  pru 
dent  to  step  between  two  tigers.  Such  a  bounding, 
whirling,  tumbling,  rolling,  falling,  and  rising  contest 
had  never  been  seen  in  that  street,  except  between 
cats.  It  seemed  that  the  creatures  would  dash  them 
selves  through  the  windows  of  the  houses. 

It  was  not  long  before  Cheditafa  came  back  with 
two  policemen,  all  running,  and  then  the  men  who  lay 
in  the  street,  spinning  about  as  if  moving  on  pivots, 
were  seized  and  pulled  apart.  At  first  the  officers  of 

406 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

the  law  appeared  at  a  loss  to  know  what  had  hap 
pened,  and  who  had  been  attacked.  What  was  this 
black  creature  from  the  Jardin  des  Plantes?  But 
Banker's  coat  had  been  torn  from  his  back,  and  his 
pistol  stood  out  in  bold  relief  in  his  belt,  and  Chedi- 
tafa  pointed  to  the  breathless  bandit,  and  screamed : 
"Bad  man  !  Bad  man  !  Try  to  kill  me  !  This  good 
Mok  save  my  life  ! " 

Two  more  policemen  now  came  hurrying  up,  for 
other  people  had  given  the  alarm,  and  it  was  not  con 
sidered  necessary  to  debate  the  question  as  to  who  was 
the  aggressor  in  this  desperate  affair.  Cheditafa,  Mok, 
and  Banker  were  all  taken  to  the  police  station. 

As  Cheditafa  was  known  to  be  in  the  service  of  the 
American  lady  at  the  Hotel  Grenade,  the  portier  of 
that  establishment  was  sent  for,  and  having  given  his 
testimony  to  the  good  character  of  the  two  negroes, 
they  were  released  upon  his  becoming  surety  for  their 
appearance  when  wanted. 

As  for  Banker,  there  was  no  one  to  go  security.  He 
was  committed  for  trial. 

WHEN  Ralph  went  to  his  room,  that  night,  he  imme 
diately  rang  for  his  valet.  Mok,  who  had  reached  the 
hotel  from  the  police  station  but  a  few  minutes  before, 
answered  the  summons.  When  Ralph  turned  about 
and  beheld  the  black  man,  his  hair  plastered  with  mud, 
his  face  plastered  with  mud,  and  what  clothes  he  had 
on  muddy,  torn,  and  awry,  with  one  foot  wearing  a 
great  overshoe  and  the  other  bare,  with  both  black 
arms  entirely  denuded  of  sleeves,  with  eyes  staring 
from  his  head,  and  his  whole  form  quivering  and 

407 


ADVENTURES    OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

shaking,  the  young  man  started  as  if  some  afrit  of 
the  "Arabian  Nights"  had  come  at  this  dark  hour  to 
answer  his  call. 

To  the  eager  questions  which  poured  upon  him 
when  his  identity  became  apparent,  Mok  could  make 
no  intelligible  answer.  He  did  not  possess  English 
enough  for  that.  But  Cheditafa  was  quickly  sum 
moned,  and  he  explained  everything.  He  explained 
it  once,  twice,  three  times,  and  then  he  and  Mok  were 
sent  away,  and  told  to  go  to  bed,  and  under  no  circum 
stances  to  mention  to  their  mistress  what  had  hap 
pened,  or  to  anybody  who  might  mention  it  to  her. 
And  this  Cheditafa  solemnly  promised  for  both. 

The  clock  struck  one  as  Ralph  still  sat  in  his  chair, 
wondering  what  all  this  meant,  and  what  might  be 
expected  to  happen  next.  To  hear  that  a  real,  live 
Rackbird  was  in  Paris,  that  this  outlaw  had  threatened 
his  sister,  that  the  police  had  been  watching  for  him, 
that  he  had  sworn  to  kill  Cheditafa,  and  that  night 
had  tried  to  do  it,  amazed  him  beyond  measure. 

At  last  he  gave  up  trying  to  conjecture  what  it 
meant.  It  was  foolish  to  waste  his  thoughts  in  that 
way.  To-morrow  he  must  find  out.  He  could  under 
stand  very  well  why  his  sister  had  kept  him  in  igno 
rance  of  the  affair  in  the  Gardens.  She  had  feared 
danger  to  him.  She  knew  that  he  would  be  after  that 
scoundrel  more  hotly  than  any  policeman.  But  what 
the  poor  girl  must  have  suffered  !  It  was  terrible  to 
think  of. 

The  first  thing  he  would  do  would  be  to  take  very 
good  care  that  she  heard  nothing  of  the  attack  on 
Cheditafa.  He  would  go  to  the  police  office  early  the 
next  morning  and  look  into  this  matter.  He  did  not 

408 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

think  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  Edna  to  know 
anything  about  it,  except  that  the  Kackbird  had  been 
arrested  and  she  need  no  longer  fear  him. 

When  Kalph  reached  the  police  station,  the  next 
day,  he  found  there  the  portier  of  the  hotel,  together 
with  Cheditafa  and  Mok. 

After  Banker's  examination,  to  which  he  gave  no 
assistance  by  admissions  of  any  sort,  he  was  remanded 
for  trial,  and  he  was  held  merely  for  his  affair  with 
the  negroes,  no  charge  having  been  made  against  him 
for  his  attempt  to  obtain  money  from  their  mistress, 
or  his  threats  in  her  direction.  As  the  crime  for  which 
he  had  been  arrested  gave  reason  enough  for  condign 
punishment  of  the  desperado,  Ralph  saw,  and  made 
Cheditafa  see,  it  would  be  unnecessary  as  well  as  un 
pleasant  to  drag  Edna  into  the  affair. 

That  afternoon  Mr.  Banker,  who  had  recovered  his 
breath  and  had  collected  his  ideas,  sent  for  the  police 
magistrate  and  made  a  confession.  He  said  he  had 
been  a  member  of  a  band  of  outlaws,  but  having  grown 
disgusted  with  their  evil  deeds,  had  left  them.  He 
had  become  very  poor,  and  having  heard  that  the 
leader  of  the  band  had  made  a  fortune  by  a  successful 
piece  of  rascality,  and  had  married  a  fine  lady,  and 
was  then  in  Paris,  he  had  come  to  this  city  to  meet 
him,  and  to  demand  in  the  name  of  their  old  comrade 
ship  some  assistance  in  his  need.  He  had  found  his 
captain's  wife.  She  had  basely  deceived  him  after 
having  promised  to  help  him,  and  he  had  been  insulted 
and  vilely  treated  by  that  old  negro,  who  was  once  a 
slave  in  the  Rackbirds'  camp  in  Peru,  and  who  had 
been  brought  here  with  the  other  negro  by  the  cap 
tain.  He  also  freely  admitted  that  he  had  intended 

409 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

to  punish  the  black  fellow,  though  he  had  no  idea 
whatever  of  killing  him.  If  he  had  had  such  am  idea, 
it  would  have  been  easy  enough  for  him  to  put  his  knife 
into  him  when  he  met  him  in  that  quiet  street.  But 
he  had  not  done  so,  but  had  contented  himself  with 
telling  him  what  he  thought  of  him,  and  with  after 
wards  frightening  him  with  his  knife.  And  then  the 
other  fellow  had  come  up,  and  there  had  been  a  fight. 
Therefore,  although  he  admitted  that  his  case  was  a 
great  misdemeanor,  and  that  he  had  been  very  dis 
orderly,  he  boldly  asserted  that  he  had  contemplated 
no  murder.  But  what  he  wished  particularly  to  say 
to  the  magistrate  was  that  the  captain  of  the  Rack- 
birds  would  probably  soon  arrive  in  Paris,  and  that  he 
ought  to  be  arrested.  No  end  of  important  results 
might  come  from  such  an  arrest.  He  was  quite  sure 
that  the  great  stroke  of  fortune  which  had  enabled  the 
captain's  family  to  live  in  Paris  in  such  fine  style 
ought  to  be  investigated.  The  captain  had  never 
made  any  money  by  simple  and  straightforward 
methods  of  business. 

All  this  voluntary  testimony  was  carefully  taken 
down,  and  although  the  magistrate  did  not  consider 
it  necessary  to  believe  any  of  it,  the  arrival  of  Captain 
Horn  was  thenceforth  awaited  with  interest  by  the 
police  of  Paris. 

It  was  not  very  plain  how  Miss  Markham  of  the 
Hotel  Grenade,  who  was  well  known  as  a  friend  of  a 
member  of  the  American  legation,  could  be  the  wife 
of  a  South  American  bandit.  But  then,  there  might 
be  reasons  why  she  wished  to  retain  her  maiden  name 
for  the  present,  and  she  might  not  know  her  husband 
as  a  bandit. 

410 


CHAPTEE  XLVIH 

ENTER  CAPTAIN  HOEN 

IT  was  less  than  a  week  after  the  tumbling  match  in 
the  street  between  Banker  and  Mok,  and  about  eleven 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  a  brief  note,  written 
on  a  slip  of  paper  and  accompanied  by  a  card,  was 
brought  to  Edna  from  Mrs.  Cliff.  On  the  card  was 
written  the  name  of  Captain  Philip  Horn,  and  the 
note  read  thus : 

"He  is  here.  He  sent  his  card  to  me.  Of  course,  you 
will  see  him.  Oh,  Edna !  don't  do  anything  foolish  when 
you  see  him!  Don't  go  and  throw  away  everything 
worth  living  for  in  this  world !  Heaven  help  you ! ' ' 

This  note  was  hurriedly  written,  but  Edna  read  it 
at  a  glance. 

"Bring  the  gentleman  here,"  she  said  to  the  man. 

Now,  with  all  her  heart,  Edna  blessed  herself  and 
thanked  herself  that,  at  last,  she  had  been  strong 
enough  and  brave  enough  to  determine  what  she 
ought  to  do  when  she  met  the  captain.  That  very 
morning,  lying  awake  in  her  bed,  she  had  determined 
that  she  would  meet  him  in  the  same  spirit  as  that  in 
which  he  had  written  to  her.  She  would  be  very 
strong.  She  would  not  assume  anything.  She  would 

411 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

not  accept  the  responsibility  of  deciding  the  situation, 
which  responsibility  she  believed  he  thought  it  right 
she  should  assume.  She  would  not  have  it.  If  he 
appeared  before  her  as  the  Captain  Horn  of  his  letters, 
he  should  go  away  as  the  man  who  had  written  those 
letters.  If  he  had  come  here  on  business,  she  would 
show  him  that  she  was  a  woman  of  business. 

As  she  stood  waiting,  with  her  eyes  upon  his  card, 
which  lay  upon  the  table,  and  Mrs.  Cliffs  note  crum 
pled  up  in  one  hand,  she  saw  the  captain  for  some 
minutes  before  it  was  possible  for  him  to  reach  her. 
She  saw  him  on  board  the  Castor,  a  tall,  broad-shoul 
dered  sailor,  with  his  hands  in  the  pockets  of  his  pea- 
jacket.  She  saw  him  by  the  caves  in  Peru,  his  flannel 
shirt  and  his  belted  trousers  faded  by  the  sun  and 
water,  torn  and  worn,  and  stained  by  the  soil  on  which 
they  so  often  sat,  with  his  long  hair  and  beard,  and 
the  battered  felt  hat,  which  was  the  last  thing  she  saw 
as  his  boat  faded  away  in  the  distance,  when  she  stood 
watching  it  from  the  sandy  beach.  She  saw  him  as 
she  had  imagined  him  after  she  had  received  his 
letter,  toiling  barefooted  along  the  sands,  carrying 
heavy  loads  upon  his  shoulders,  living  alone  night  and 
day  on  a  dreary  desert  coast,  weary,  perhaps  haggard, 
but  still  indomitable.  She  saw  him  in  storm,  in  ship 
wreck,  in  battle,  and  as  she  looked  upon  him  thus 
with  the  eyes  of  her  brain,  there  were  footsteps  out 
side  her  door. 

As  Captain  Horn  came  through  the  long  corridors 
and  up  the  stairs,  following  the  attendant,  he  saw  the 
woman  he  was  about  to  meet,  and  saw  her  before 
he  met  her.  He  saw  her  only  in  one  aspect— that  of 
a  tall,  too  thin,  young  woman,  clad  in  a  dark -blue 

412 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

flannel  suit,  unshapely,  streaked,  and  stained,  her  hair 
bound  tightly  round  her  head  and  covered  by  an  old 
straw  hat  with  a  faded  ribbon.  This  picture  of  her 
as  he  had  left  her  standing  on  the  beach,  at  the  close 
of  that  afternoon  when  his  little  boat  pulled  out  into 
the  Pacific,  was  as  clear  and  distinct  as  when  he  had 
last  seen  it. 

A  door  was  opened  before  him,  and  he  entered  Edna's 
salon.  For  a  moment  he  stopped  in  the  doorway.  He 
did  not  see  the  woman  he  had  come  to  meet.  He  saw 
before  him  a  lady  handsomely  and  richly  dressed  in  a 
Parisian  morning  costume — a  lady  with  waving 
masses  of  dark  hair  above  a  lovely  face,  a  lady  with 
a  beautiful  white  hand,  which  was  half  raised  as  he 
appeared  in  the  doorway. 

She  stood  with  her  hand  half  raised.  She  had  never 
seen  the  man  before  her.  He  was  a  tall,  imposing 
gentleman,  in  a  dark  suit,  over  which  he  wore  a  light- 
colored  overcoat.  One  hand  was  gloved,  and  in  the 
other  he  held  a  hat.  His  slightly  curling  brown  beard 
and  hair  were  trimmed  after  the  fashion  of  the  day, 
and  his  face,  though  darkened  by  the  sun,  showed  no 
trace  of  toil,  or  storm,  or  anxious  danger.  He  was  a 
tall,  broad-shouldered  gentleman,  with  an  air  of  cour 
tesy,  an  air  of  dignity,  an  air  of  forbearance,  which 
were  as  utterly  unknown  to'her  as  every  thing  else  about 
him,  except  his  eyes— those  were  the  same  eyes  she 
had  seen  on  board  the  Castor  and  on  the  desert  sands. 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  dark  eyes  which  looked  so 
steadfastly  at  him,  Captain  Horn  would  have  thought 
that  he  had  been  shown  into  the  wrong  room.  But 
he  now  knew  there  was  no  mistake,  and  he  entered. 
Edna  raised  her  hand  and  advanced  to  meet  him. 

413 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

He  shook  hands  with  her  exactly  as  he  had  written 
to  her,  and  she  shook  hands  with  him  just  as  she  had 
telegraphed  to  him.  Much  of  her  natural  color  had 
left  her  face.  As  he  had  never  seen  this  natural  color, 
under  the  sun-brown  of  the  Pacific  voyage,  he  did  not 
miss  it. 

Instantly  she  began  to  speak.  How  glad  she  was 
that  she  had  prepared  herself  to  speak  as  she  would 
have  spoken  to  any  other  good  friend !  So  she  ex 
pressed  her  joy  at  seeing  him  again,  well  and  success 
ful  after  all  these  months  of  peril,  toil,  and  anxiety, 
and  they  sat  down  near  each  other. 

He  looked  at  her  steadfastly,  and  asked  her  many 
things  about  Kalph,  Mrs.  Cliff,  and  the  negroes,  and 
what  had  happened  since  he  left  San  Francisco.  He 
listened  with  a  questioning  intentness  as  she  spoke. 
She  spoke  rapidly  and  concisely  as  she  answered 
his  questions  and  asked  him  about  himself.  She  said 
little  about  the  gold.  One  might  have  supposed  that 
he  had  arrived  at  Marseilles  with  a  cargo  of  coffee. 
At  the  same  time,  there  seemed  to  be,  on  Edna's  part, 
a  desire  to  lengthen  out  her  recital  of  unimportant 
matters.  She  now  saw  that  the  captain  knew  she  did 
not  care  to  talk  of  these  things.  She  knew  that  he 
was  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  turn  the  conversa 
tion  into  another  channel, — waiting  with  an  earnest 
ness  that  was  growing  more  and  more  apparent, 
— and  as  she  perceived  this,  and  as  she  steadily 
talked  to  him,  she  assured  herself,  with  all  the 
vehemence  of  which  her  nature  was  capable,  that 
she  and  this  man  were  two  people  connected  by 
business  interests,  and  that  she  was  ready  to  discuss 
that  business  in  a  business  way  as  soon  as  he  could 

414 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

speak.  But  still  she  did  not  yet  give  Mm  the  chance 
to  speak. 

The  captain  sat  there,  with  his  blue  eyes  fixed  upon 
her,  and,  as  she  looked  at  him,  she  knew  him  to  be  the 
personification  of  honor  and  magnanimity,  waiting 
until  he  could  see  that  she  was  ready  for  him  to  speak, 
ready  to  listen  if  she  should  speak,  ready  to  meet  her 
on  any  ground — a  gentleman,  she  thought,  above  all 
the  gentlemen  in  the  world.  And  still  she  went  on 
talking  about  Mrs.  Cliff  and  Kalph. 

Suddenly  the  captain  rose.  Whether  or  not  he  in 
terrupted  her  in  the  middle  of  a  sentence,  he  did  not 
know,  nor  did  she  know.  He  put  his  hat  upon  a 
table  and  came  toward  her.  He  stood  in  front  of  her 
and  looked  down  at  her.  She  looked  up  at  him,  but 
he  did  not  immediately  speak.  She  could  not  help 
standing  silently  and  looking  up  at  him  when  he  stood 
and  looked  down  upon  her  in  that  way.  Then  he 
spoke. 

"Are  you  my  wife!"  said  he. 

"By  all  that  is  good  and  blessed  in  heaven  or  earth, 
I  am,"  she  answered. 

Standing  there,  and  looking  up  into  his  eyes,  there 
was  no  other  answer  for  her  to  make. 

SELDOM  has  a  poor,  worn,  tired,  agitated  woman 
kept  what  was  to  her  a  longer  or  more  anxious  watch 
upon  a  closed  door  than  Mrs.  Cliff  kept  that  day.  If 
even  Ralph  had  appeared,  she  would  have  decoyed 
him  into  her  own  room,  and  locked  him  up  there,  if 
necessary. 

In  about  an  hour  after  Mrs.  Cliff  began  her  watch, 
a  tall  man  walked  rapidly  out  of  the  salon  and  went 

415 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

down  the  stairs,  and  then  a  woman  came  running  across 
the  hall  and  into  Mrs.  Cliff's  room,  closing  the  door 
behind  her.  Mrs.  Cliff  scarcely  recognized  this  woman. 
She  had  Edna's  hair  and  face,  but  there  was  a  glow 
and  a  glory  on  her  countenance  such  as  Mrs.  Cliff  had 
never  seen,  or  expected  to  see  until,  in  the  hereafter, 
she  should  see  it  on  the  face  of  an  angel. 

"He  has  loved  me,"  said  Edna,  with  her  arms  around 
her  old  friend's  neck,  "ever  since  we  had  been  a  week 
on  the  Castor." 

Mrs.  Cliff  shivered  and  quivered  with  joy.  She 
could  not  say  anything,  but  over  and  over  again  she 
kissed  the  burning  cheeks  of  her  friend.  At  last  they 
stood  apart,  and,  when  Mrs.  Cliff  was  calm  enough  to 
speak,  she  said : 

"Ever  since  we  were  on  the  Castor!  Well,  Edna, 
you  must  admit  that  Captain  Horn  is  uncommonly 
good  at  keeping  things  to  himself." 

"Yes,"  said  the  other,  "and  he  always  kept  it  to 
himself.  He  never  let  it  go  away  from  him.  He  had 
intended  to  speak  to  me,  but  he  wanted  to  wait  until 
I  knew  him  better,  and  until  we  were  in  a  position 
where  he  wouldn't  seem  to  be  taking  advantage  of  me 
by  speaking.  And  when  you  proposed  that  marriage 
by  Cheditafa,  he  was  very  much  troubled  and  annoyed. 
It  was  something  so  rough  and  jarring,  and  so  discord 
ant  with  what  he  had  hoped,  that  at  first  he  could  not 
bear  to  think  of  it.  But  he  afterwards  saw  the  sense 
of  your  reasoning,  and  agreed  simply  because  it  would 
be  to  my  advantage  in  case  he  should  lose  his  life  in 
his  undertaking.  And  we  will  be  married  to-morrow 
at  the  embassy." 

"To-morrow  ! "  cried  Mrs.  Cliff.     "So  soon  ? " 

416 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Yes,"  replied  Edna.  "The  captain  has  to  go  away, 
and  I  am  going  with  him." 

"That  is  all  right,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff.  "Of  course  I 
was  a  little  surprised  at  first.  But  how  about  the 
gold?  How  much  was  there  of  it?  And  what  is  he 
going  to  do  with  it?  " 

"He  scarcely  mentioned  the  gold,"  replied  Edna. 
"We  had  more  precious  things  to  talk  about.  When 
he  sees  us  all  together,  you  and  I  and  Ralph,  he  will 
tell  us  what  he  has  done,  and  what  he  is  going  to  do, 
and—" 

"And  we  can  say  what  we  please?  "  cried  Mrs.  Cliff. 

"Yes,"  said  Edna,— "to  whomever  we  please." 

"Thank  the  Lord!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff.  "That 
is  almost  as  good  as  being  married." 

ON  his  arrival  in  Paris  the  night  before,  Captain 
Horn  had  taken  lodgings  at  a  hotel  not  far  from  the 
Hotel  Grenade,  and  the  first  thing  he  did  the  next 
morning  was  to  visit  Edna.  He  had  supposed,  of 
course,  that  she  was  at  the  same  hotel  in  which  Mrs. 
Cliff  resided,  which  address  he  had  got  from  Wraxton, 
in  Marseilles,  and  he  had  expected  to  see  the  elderly 
lady  first,  and  to  get  some  idea  of  how  matters  stood 
before  meeting  Edna.  He  was  in  Paris  alone.  He 
had  left  Shirley  and  Burke,  with  the  negroes,  in  Mar 
seilles.  He  had  wished  to  do  nothing,  to  make  no 
arrangements  for  any  one,  until  he  had  seen  Edna,  and 
had  found  out  what  his  future  life  was  to  be. 

Now,  as  he  walked  back  to  his  hotel,  that  future  life 
lay  before  him  radiant  and  resplendent.  No  avenue 
in  Paris,  or  in  any  part  of  the  world,  blazing  with  the 
lights  of  some  grand  festival,  ever  shone  with  such 

417 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

glowing  splendor  as  the  future  life  of  Captain  Horn 
now  shone  and  sparkled  before  him,  as  he  walked  and 
walked,  on  and  on,  and  crossed  the  river  into  the  Latin 
Quarter,  before  he  perceived  that  his  hotel  was  a  mile 
or  more  behind  him. 

From  the  moment  that  the  Arato  had  left  the  Straits 
of  Magellan,  and  Captain  Horn  had  had  reason  to 
believe  that  he  had  left  his  dangers  behind  him,  the 
prow  of  his  vessel  had  been  set  toward  the  Strait  of 
Gibraltar,  and  every  thought  of  his  heart  toward 
Edna.  Burke  and  Shirley  both  noticed  a  change  in 
him.  After  he  left  the  Rackbirds'  cove,  until  he  had 
sailed  into  the  South  Atlantic,  his  manner  had  been 
quiet,  alert,  generally  anxious,  and  sometimes  stern. 
But  now,  day  by  day,  he  appeared  to  be  growing  into 
a  different  man.  He  was  not  nervous,  nor  apparently 
impatient,  but  it  was  easy  to  see  that  within  him 
there  burned  a  steady  purpose  to  get  on  as  fast  as  the 
wind  would  blow  them  northward. 

Day  by  day,  as  he  walked  the  deck  of  his  little 
vessel,  one  might  have  thought  him  undergoing  a  trans 
formation  from  the  skipper  of  a  schooner  into  the 
master  of  a  great  ship,  into  the  captain  of  a  swift 
Atlantic  liner,  into  the  commander  of  a  man-of-war, 
into  the  commodore  on  board  a  line-of-battle  ship.  It 
was  not  an  air  of  pride  or  assumed  superiority  that  he 
wore,  it  was  nothing  assumed,  it  was  nothing  of  which 
he  was  not  entirely  aware.  It  was  the  gradual  growth 
within  him,  as  health  grows  into  a  man  recovering 
from  a  sickness,  of  the  consciousness  of  power.  The 
source  of  that  consciousness  lay  beneath  him,  as  he 
trod  the  deck  of  the  Arato. 

This  consciousness,  involuntary,  and  impossible  to 
418 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

resist,  had  nothing  definite  about  it.  It  had  nothing 
which  could  wholly  satisfy  the  soul  of  this  man,  who 
kept  his  eyes  and  his  thoughts  so  steadfastly  toward 
the  north.  He  knew  that  there  were  but  few  things  in 
the  world  that  his  power  could  not  give  him,  but  there 
was  one  thing  upon  which  it  might  have  no  influence 
whatever,  and  that  one  thing  was  far  more  to  him 
than  all  other  things  in  this  world. 

Sometimes,  as  he  sat  smoking  beneath  the  stars,  he 
tried  to  picture  to  himself  the  person  who  might  be 
waiting  and  watching  for  him  in  Paris,  and  to  try  to 
look  upon  her  as  she  must  really  be  ;  for,  after  her  life 
in  San  Francisco  and  Paris,  she  could  not  remain  the 
woman  she  had  been  at  the  caves  on  the  coast  of 
Peru.  But,  do  what  he  would,  he  could  make  no  trans 
formation  in  the  picture  which  was  imprinted  on  the 
retina  of  his  soul.  There  he  saw  a  woman  still  young, 
tall,  and  too  thin,  in  a  suit  of  blue  flannel  faded  and 
worn,  with  her  hair  bound  tightly  around  her  head 
and  covered  by  a  straw  hat  with  a  faded  ribbon.  But 
it  was  toward  this  figure  that  he  was  sailing,  sailing, 
sailing,  as  fast  as  the  winds  of  heaven  would  blow  his 
vessel  onward. 


419 


CHAPTER   XLIX 

A  GOLDEN  AFTERNOON 

WHEN  Ralph  met  Captain  Horn  that  afternoon,  there 
rose  within  him  a  sudden,  involuntary  appreciation 
of  the  captain's  worthiness  to  possess  a  ship-load  of 
gold  and  his  sister  Edna.  Before  that  meeting  there 
had  been  doubts  in  the  boy's  mind  in  regard  to  this 
worthiness.  He  believed  that  he  had  thoroughly 
weighed  and  judged  the  character  and  capacities  of  the 
captain  of  the  Castor,  and  he  had  said  to  himself,  in  his 
moments  of  reflection,  that  although  Captain  Horn  was 
a  good  man,  and  a  brave  man,  and  an  able  man  in  many 
ways,  there  were  other  men  in  the  world  who  were 
better  fitted  for  the  glorious  double  position  into  which 
this  fortunate  mariner  had  fallen. 

But  now,  as  Ralph  sat  and  gazed  upon  his  sister's 
lover  and  heard  him  talk,  and  as  he  turned  from  him 
to  Edna's  glowing  eyes,  he  acknowledged,  without 
knowing  it,  the  transforming  power  of  those  two  great 
alchemists,— gold  and  love,— and  from  the  bottom  of 
his  heart  he  approved  the  match. 

Upon  Mrs.  Cliff  the  first  sight  of  Captain  Horn  had 
been  a  little  startling,  and  had  she  not  hastened  to 
assure  herself  that  the  compact  with  Edna  was  a  thing 

420 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

fixed  and  settled,  she  might  have  been  possessed  with 
the  fear  that  perhaps  this  gentleman  might  have  views 
for  his  future  life  very  different  from  those  upon  which 
she  had  set  her  heart.  But  even  if  she  had  not  known 
of  the  compact  of  the  morning,  all  danger  of  that  fear 
would  have  passed  in  the  moment  that  the  captain 
took  her  by  the  hand. 

To  find  his  three  companions  of  the  wreck  and 
desert  in  such  high  state  and  flourishing  condition  so 
cheered  and  uplifted  the  soul  of  the  captain  that  he 
could  talk  of  nothing  else.  And  now  he  called  for 
Cheditafa  and  Mok — those  two  good  fellows  whose 
faithfulness  he  should  never  forget.  But  when  they 
entered,  bending  low,  with  eyes  upturned  toward  the 
lofty  presence  to  which  they  had  been  summoned,  the 
captain  looked  inquiringly  at  Edna.  As  he  came  in 
that  afternoon,  he  had  seen  both  the  negroes  in  the 
courtyard,  and,  in  the  passing  thought  he  had  given  to 
them,  had  supposed  them  to  be  attendants  of  some 
foreign  potentate  from  Barbary  or  Morocco.  Chedi 
tafa  and  Mok  !  The  ragged,  half-clad  negroes  of  the 
sea-beach  —  a  parson-butler  of  sublimated  respecta 
bility,  a  liveried  lackey  of  rainbow  and  gold  !  It  re 
quired  minutes  to  harmonize  these  presentments  in 
the  mind  of  Captain  Horn. 

When  the  audience  of  the  two  Africans— for  such 
it  seemed  to  be— had  lasted  long  enough,  Edna  was 
thinking  of  dismissing  them,  when  it  became  plain  to 
her  that  there  was  something  which  Cheditafa  wished 
to  say  or  do.  She  looked  at  him  inquiringly,  and  he 
came  forward. 

For  a  long  time  the  mind  of  the  good  African  had 
been  exercised  upon  the  subject  of  the  great  deed  he 

421 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

had  done  just  before  the  captain  had  sailed  away  from 
the  Peruvian  coast.  In  San  Francisco  and  Paris  he 
had  asked  many  questions  quietly,  and  apparently 
without  purpose,  concerning  the  marriage  ceremonies 
of  America  and  other  civilized  countries.  He  had  not 
learned  enough  to  enable  him,  upon  an  emergency, 
to  personate  an  orthodox  clergyman,  but  he  had 
found  out  this  and  that— little  things,  perhaps,  but 
things  which  made  a  great  impression  upon  him— 
which  had  convinced  him  that  in  the  ceremony  he 
had  performed  there  had  been  much  remissness— how 
much,  he  did  not  clearly  know.  But  about  one  thing 
that  had  been  wanting  he  had  no  doubts. 

Advancing  toward  Edna  and  the  captain,  who  sat 
near  each  other,  Cheditafa  took  from  his  pocket  a 
large  gold  ring,  which  he  had  purchased  with  his 
savings.  "  There  was  a  thing  we  didn't  do,"  he  said, 
glancing  from  one  to  the  other.  "It  was  the  ring 
part— nobody  thinked  of  that.  "Will  captain  take  it 
now,  and  put  it  on  the  lady  ?  " 

Edna  and  the  captain  looked  at  each  other.  For  a 
moment  no  one  spoke.  Then  Edna  said,  "Take  it." 
The  captain  rose  and  took  the  ring  from  the  hand  of 
Cheditafa,  and  Edna  stood  beside  him.  Then  he  took 
her  hand,  and  reverently  placed  the  ring  upon  her 
fourth  finger.  Fortunately,  it  fitted.  It  had  not  been 
without  avail  that  Cheditafa  had  so  often  scanned 
with  a  measuring  eye  the  rings  upon  the  hands  of  his 
mistress. 

A  light  of  pleasure  shone  in  the  eyes  of  the  old 
negro.  Now  he  had  done  his  full  duty—  now  all  things 
had  been  made  right.  As  he  had  seen  the  priests  stand 
in  the  churches  of  Paris,  he  now  stood  for  a  moment 

422 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

with  his  hands  outspread.  "Very  good,"  he  said, 
"that  will  do."  Then,  followed  by  Mok,  he  bowed 
himself  out  of  the  room. 

For  some  moments  there  was  silence  in  the  salon. 
Nobody  thought  of  laughing,  or  even  smiling.  In  the 
eyes  of  Mrs.  Cliff  there  were  a  few  tears.  She  was  the 
first  to  speak.  "He  is  a  good  man,"  said  she,  "and  he 
now  believes  that  he  has  done  everything  that  ought  to 
be  done.  But  you  will  be  married  to-morrow,  all  the 
same,  of  course." 

"Yes,"  said  Edna.     "But  it  will  be  with  this  ring." 

"Yes,"  said  the  captain,  "with  that  ring.  You  must 
always  wear  it." 

"And  now,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  when  they  had  all  re 
seated  themselves,  "you  must  really  tell  us  your  story, 
captain.  You  know  I  have  heard  nothing  yet." 

And  so  he  told  his  story— much  that  Edna  had 
heard  before,  a  great  deal  she  had  not  heard.  About 
the  treasure,  almost  everything  he  said  was  new  to 
her.  Mrs.  Cliff  was  very  eager  on  this  point.  She 
wanted  every  detail. 

"How  about  the  ownership  of  it  ? "  she  said.  "After 
all,  that  is  the  great  point.  "What  do  people  here  think 
of  your  right  to  use  that  gold  as  your  own  ? " 

The  captain  smiled.  "That  is  not  an  easy  question 
to  answer,  but  I  think  we  shall  settle  it  very  satisfac 
torily.  Of  course,  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to  get  it 
safely  entered  and  stored  away  in  the  great  money 
centres  over  here.  A  good  portion  of  it,  in  fact,  is  to 
be  shipped  to  Philadelphia  to  be  coined.  Of  course, 
all  that  business  is  in  the  hands  of  my  bankers.  The 
fact  that  I  originally  sailed  from  California  was  a  great 
help  to  us.  To  ascertain  my  legal  rights  in  the  case 

423 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

was  the  main  object  of  my  visit  to  London.  There 
Wraxton  and  I  put  the  matter  before  three  leading 
lawyers  in  that  line  of  business,  and  although  their 
opinions  differed  somewhat,  and  although  we  have  not 
yet  come  to  a  final  conclusion  as  to  what  should  be 
done,  the  matter  is  pretty  well  straightened  out  as  far 
as  we  are  concerned.  Of  course,  the  affair  is  greatly 
simplified  by  the  fact  that  there  is  no  one  on  the  other 
side  to  be  a  claimant  of  the  treasure,  but  we  consider 
it  as  if  there  were  a  claimant,  or  two  of  them,  in  fact. 
These  can  be  no  other  than  the  present  government  of 
Peru,  and  that  portion  of  the  population  of  the  country 
which  is  native  to  the  soil,  and  the  latter,  if  our  sup 
positions  are  correct,  are  the  only  real  heirs  to  the 
treasure  which  I  discovered.  But  what  are  the  laws 
of  Peru  in  regard  to  treasure -trove,  or  what  may  be 
the  disposition  of  the  government  toward  the  native 
population  and  their  rights,  of  course  we  cannot  find 
out  now.  That  will  take  time.  But  of  one  thing  we 
are  certain :  I  am  entitled  to  a  fair  remuneration  for 
the  discovery  of  this  treasure,  just  the  same  as  if  I 
claimed  salvage  for  having  brought  a  wrecked  steamer 
into  port.  On  this  point  the  lawyers  are  all  agreed. 
I  have,  therefore,  made  my  claim,  and  shall  stand  by 
it  with  enough  legal  force  behind  me  to  support  me  in 
any  emergency. 

"But  it  is  not  believed  that  either  the  Peruvian 
government,  or  the  natives  acting  as  a  body,  if  it  shall 
be  possible  for  them  to  act  in  that  way,  will  give  us 
any  trouble.  We  have  the  matter  entirely  in  our  own 
hands.  They  do  not  know  of  the  existence  of  this 
treasure,  or  that  they  have  any  rights  to  it,  until  we 
inform  them  of  the  fact,  and  without  our  assistance  it 

424 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

will  be  almost  impossible  for  them  to  claim  anything 
or  prove  anything.  Therefore,  it  will  be  good  policy 
and  common  sense  for  them  to  acknowledge  that  we 
are  acting  honestly,  and,  more  than  that,  generously, 
and  to  agree  to  take  what  we  offer  them,  and  that  we 
shall  keep  what  is  considered  by  the  best  legal  authori 
ties  to  be  our  rights. 

"As  soon  as  possible,  an  agent  will  be  sent  to  Peru  to 
attend  to  the  matter.  But  this  matter  is  in  the  hands 
of  my  lawyers,  although,  of  course,  I  shall  not  keep 
out  of  the  negotiations." 

"And  how  much  percentage,  captain?"  asked  Mrs. 
Cliff.  "What  part  do  they  think  you  ought  to  keep  ?  " 

"We  have  agreed,"  said  he,  "upon  twenty  per  cent, 
of  the  whole.  After  careful  consideration  and  advice, 
I  made  that  claim.  I  shall  retain  it.  Indeed,  it  is 
already  secured  to  me,  no  matter  what  may  happen 
to  the  rest  of  the  treasure." 

"Twenty  per  cent. !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cliff,  "  And 
that  is  all  that  you  get?  " 

"Yes,"  said  the  captain,  "it  is  what  I  get— and  by 
that  is  meant  what  is  to  be  divided  among  us  all.  I 
make  the  claim,  but  I  make  it  for  every  one  who  was 
on  the  Castor  when  she  was  wrecked,  and  for  the  fami 
lies  of  those  who  are  not  alive— for  every  one,  in  fact, 
who  was  concerned  in  this  matter." 

The  countenance  of  Mrs.  Cliff  had  been  falling,  and 
now  it  went  down,  down,  again.  After  all  the  wait 
ing,  after  all  the  anxiety,  it  had  come  to  this  :  barely 
twenty  per  cent.,  to  be  divided  among  ever  so  many 
people— twenty-five  or  thirty,  for  all  she  knew.  Only 
this,  after  the  dreams  she  had  had,  after  the  castles  she 
had  built !  Of  course,  she  had  money  now,  and  she 

425 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

would  have  some  more,  and  she  had  a  great  many 
useful  and  beautiful  things  which  she  had  bought, 
and  she  could  go  back  to  Plainton  in  very  good  cir 
cumstances.  But  that  was  not  what  she  had  been 
waiting  for,  and  hoping  for,  and  anxiously  trembling 
for,  ever  since  she  had  found  that  the  captain  had 
really  reached  France  with  the  treasure. 

"Captain,"  she  said,  and  her  voice  was  as  husky  as  if 
she  had  been  sitting  in  a  draught,  "I  have  had  so  many 
ups  and  so  many  downs,  and  have  been  turned  so  often 
this  way  and  that,  I  cannot  stand  this  state  of  uncer 
tainty  any  longer.  It  may  seem  childish  and  weak, 
but  I  must  know  something.  Can  you  give  me  any 
idea  how  much  you  are  to  have,  or,  at  least,  how  much 
I  shall  have,  and  let  me  make  myself  satisfied  with 
whatever  it  is  1  Do  you  think  that  I  shall  be  able  to  go 
back  to  Plainton  and  take  my  place  as  a  leading  citizen 
there?  I  don't  mind  in  the  least  asking  that  before 
you  three.  I  thought  I  was  justified  in  making  that 
my  object  in  life,  and  I  have  made  it  my  object.  Now, 
if  I  have  been  mistaken  all  this  time,  I  would  like  to 
know  it.  Don't  find  fault  with  me.  I  have  waited, 
and  waited,  and  waited—" 

"Well,"  interrupted  the  captain,  "you  need  not  wait 
any  longer.  The  sum  that  I  have  retained  shall  be 
divided  as  soon  as  possible,  and  I  shall  divide  it  in 
as  just  a  manner  as  I  can,  and  I  am  ready  to  hear 
appeals  from  any  one  who  is  not  satisfied.  Of  course, 
I  shall  keep  the  largest  share  of  it— that  is  my  right. 
I  found  it,  and  I  secured  it.  And  this  lady  here," 
pointing  to  Edna,  "is  to  have  the  next  largest  share 
in  her  own  right,  because  she  was  the  main  object 
which  made  me  work  so  hard  and  brave  everything 

426 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

to  get  that  treasure  here.  And  then  the  rest  will 
share  according  to  rank,  as  we  say  on  board  ship." 

"Oh,  dear !  oh,  dear ! "  murmured  Mrs,  Cliff,  "he 
never  comes  to  any  point.  We  never  know  anything 
clear  and  distinct.  This  is  not  any  answer  at  all." 

"The  amount  I  claim,"  continued  the  captain,  who 
did  not  notice  that  Mrs.  Cliff  was  making  remarks  to 
herself,  "is  forty  million  dollars." 

Everybody  started,  and  Mrs.  Cliff  sprang  up  as  if  a 
torpedo  had  been  fired  beneath  her. 

" Forty  million  dollars  ! "  she  exclaimed.  "I  thought 
you  said  you  would  only  have  twenty  per  cent.  1 " 

"That  is  just  what  it  is,"  remarked  the  captain,  "as 
nearly  as  we  can  calculate.  Forty  million  dollars  is 
about  one  fifth  of  the  value  of  the  cargo  I  brought  to 
France  in  the  Arato.  And  as  to  your  share,  Mrs.  Cliff, 
I  think,  if  you  feel  like  it,  you  will  be  able  to  buy  the 
town  of  Plainton ;  and  if  that  doesn't  make  you  a  lead 
ing  citizen  in  it,  I  don't  know  what  else  you  can  do." 


427 


CHAPTEK   L 

A    CASE    OF    EECOGNITION 

EVEEY  one  in  our  party  at  the  Hotel  Grenade  rose 
very  early  the  next  morning.  That  day  was  to  be  one 
of  activity  and  event.  Mrs.  Cliff,  who  had  not  slept 
one  wink  during  the  night,  but  who  appeared  almost 
rejuvenated  by  the  ideas  which  had  come  to  her  dur 
ing  her  sleeplessness,  now  entered  a  protest  against 
the  proposed  marriage  at  the  American  legation. 
She  believed  that  people  of  the  position  which  Edna 
and  the  captain  should  now  assume  ought  to  be  mar 
ried  in  a  church,  with  all  proper  ceremony  and  irn- 
pressiveness,  and  urged  that  the  wedding  be  postponed 
for  a  few  days,  until  suitable  arrangements  could  be 
made. 

But  Edna  would  not  listen  to  this.  The  captain 
was  obliged,  by  appointment,  to  be  in  London  on  the 
morrow,  and  he  could  not  know  how  long  he  might  be 
detained  there,  and  now,  wherever  he  went,  she  wished 
to  go  with  him.  He  wanted  her  to  be  with  him,  and 
she  was  going.  Moreover,  she  fancied  a  wedding  at 
the  legation.  There  were  all  sorts  of  regulations  con 
cerning  marriage  in  France,  and  to  these  neither  she 
nor  the  captain  cared  to  conform,  even  if  they  had 

428 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

time  enough  for  the  purpose.  At  the  American 
legation  they  would  be  in  point  of  law  upon  American 
soil,  and  there  they  could  be  married  as  Americans, 
by  an  American  minister. 

After  that  Mrs.  Cliff  gave  up.  She  was  so  happy 
she  was  ready  to  agree  to  anything,  or  to  believe  in 
anything,  and  she  went  to  work  with  heart  and  hand 
to  assist  Edna  in  getting  ready  for  the  great  event. 

Mrs.  Sylvester,  the  wife  of  the  secretary,  received  a 
note  from  Edna  which  brought  her  to  the  hotel  as 
fast  as  horses  were  allowed  to  travel  in  the  streets  of 
Paris,  and  arrangements  were  easily  made  for  the  cere 
mony  to  take  place  at  four  o'clock  that  afternoon. 

The  marriage  was  to  be  entirely  private.  No  one 
was  to  be  present  but  Mrs.  Cliff,  Kalph,  and  Mrs. 
Sylvester.  Nothing  was  said  to  Cheditafa  of  the  in 
tended  ceremony.  After  what  had  happened,  they 
all  felt  that  it  would  be  right  to  respect  the  old  negro's 
feelings  and  sensibilities.  Mrs.  Cliff  undertook,  after 
a  few  days  had  elapsed,  to  explain  the  whole  matter 
to  Cheditafa,  and  to  tell  him  that  what  he  had  done 
had  not  been  without  importance  and  real  utility,  but 
that  it  had  actually  united  his  master  and  mistress  by 
a  solemn  promise  before  witnesses,  which  in  some 
places,  and  under  certain  circumstances,  would  be  as 
good  a  marriage  as  any  that  could  be  performed,  but 
that  a  second  ceremony  had  taken  place  in  order  that 
the  two  might  be  considered  man  and  wife  in  all 
places  and  under  all  circumstances. 

The  captain  had  hoped  to  see  Shirley  and  Burke 
before  he  left  Paris,  but  that  was  now  impossible,  and, 
on  his  way  to  his  hotel,  after  breakfasting  at  the  Hotel 
Grenade,  he  telegraphed  to  them  to  come  to  him  in 

429 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

London.  He  had  just  sent  his  telegram  when  he  was 
touched  on  the  arm,  and,  turning,  saw  standing  by  him 
two  police  officers.  Their  manner  was  very  civil,  but 
they  promptly  informed  him,  the  speaker  using  very 
fair  English,  that  he  must  accompany  them  to  the 
presence  of  a  police  magistrate. 

The  captain  was  astounded.  The  officers  could  or 
would  give  him  no  information  in  regard  to  the  charge 
against  him,  or  whether  it  was  a  charge  at  all.  They 
only  said  that  he  must  come  with  them,  and  that  every 
thing  would  be  explained  at  the  police  station.  The 
captain's  brow  grew  black.  What  this  meant  he  could 
not  imagine,  but  he  had  no  time  to  waste  in  imagina 
tions.  It  would  be  foolish  to  demand  explanations  of 
the  officers,  or  to  ask  to  see  the  warrant  for  their  action. 
He  would  not  understand  French  warrants,  and  the 
quicker  he  went  to  the  magistrate  and  found  out  what 
this  thing  meant,  the  better.  He  only  asked  time  to 
send  a  telegram  to  Mr.  Wraxton,  urging  him  to  attend 
him  instantly  at  the  police  station,  and  then  he  went 
with  the  officers. 

On  the  way,  Captain  Horn  turned  over  matters  in 
his  mind.  He  could  think  of  no  cause  for  this  deten 
tion,  except  it  might  be  something  which  had  turned 
up  in  connection  with  his  possession  of  the  treasure, 
or  perhaps  the  entrance  of  the  Arato,  without  papers, 
at  the  French  port.  But  anything  of  this  kind  Wrax 
ton  could  settle  as  soon  as  he  could  be  made  acquainted 
with  it.  The  only  real  trouble  was  that  he  was  to  be 
married  at  four  o'clock,  and  it  was  now  nearly  two. 

At  the  police  station,  Captain  Horn  met  with  a 
fresh  annoyance.  The  magistrate  was  occupied  with 
important  business  and  could  not  attend  to  him  at 

430 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

present.  This  made  the  captain  very  impatient,  and 
he  sent  message  after  message  to  the  magistrate,  but  to 
no  avail.  And  Wraxton  did  not  come.  In  fact,  it  was 
too  soon  to  expect  him. 

The  magistrate  had  good  reason  for  delay.  He  did 
not  wish  to  have  anything  to  do  with  the  gentleman 
who  had  been  taken  in  custody  until  his  accuser, 
Banker  by  name,  had  been  brought  to  this  station 
from  his  place  of  confinement,  where  he  was  now  held 
under  a  serious  charge. 

Ten  minutes,  twenty  minutes,  twenty-five  minutes, 
passed,  and  the  magistrate  did  not  appear.  "Wraxton 
did  not  come.  The  captain  had  never  been  so  fiercely 
impatient.  He  did  not  know  to  whom  to  apply  in  this 
serious  emergency.  He  did  not  wish  Edna  to  know 
of  his  trouble  until  he  found  out  the  nature  of  it,  and 
if  he  sent  word  to  the  legation,  he  was  afraid  that  the 
news  would  speedily  reach  her.  Wraxton  was  his 
man,  whatever  the  charge  -might  be.  He  would  be 
his  security  for  any  amount  which  might  be  named, 
and  the  business  might  be  settled  afterwards,  if,  indeed, 
it  were  not  all  a  mistake  of  some  sort. 

But  "Wraxton  did  not  appear.  Suddenly  the  cap 
tain  thought  of  one  man  who  might  be  of  service  to 
him  in  this  emergency.  There  was  no  time  for  delay. 
Some  one  must  come,  and  come  quickly,  who  could 
identify  him,  and  the  only  man  he  could  think 
of  was  Professor  Barre,  Kalph's  tutor.  He  had  met 
that  gentleman  the  evening  before.  He  could  vouch 
for  him,  and  he  could  certainly  be  trusted  not  to  alarm 
Edna  unnecessarily.  He  believed  the  professor  could 
be  found  at  the  hotel,  and  he  instantly  sent  a  messen 
ger  to  him  with  a  note. 

431 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

It  took  a  good  deal  of  time  to  bring  the  prisoner 
Banker  to  the  station,  and  Professor  Barre  arrived 
there  before  him.  The  professor  was  amazed  to  find 
Captain  Horn  under  arrest,  and  unable  to  give  any 
reason  for  this  state  of  things.  But  it  was  not  long  be 
fore  the  magistrate  appeared,  and  it  so  happened  that 
he  was  acquainted  with  Barre",  who  was  a  well-known 
man  in  Paris,  and,  after  glancing  at  the  captain,  he  ad 
dressed  himself  to  the  professor,  speaking  in  French. 
The  latter  immediately  inquired  the  nature  of  the 
charges  against  Captain  Horn,  using  the  same  language. 

"Ah  !  you  know  him?"  said  the  magistrate.  "He 
has  been  accused  of  being  the  leader  of  a  band  of 
outlaws— a  man  who  has  committed  murders  and  out 
rages  without  number,  one  who  should  not  be  suffered 
to  go  at  large,  one  who  should  be  confined  until  the 
authorities  of  Peru,  where  his  crimes  were  committed, 
have  been  notified." 

The  professor  stared,  but  could  not  comprehend 
what  he  had  heard. 

"What  is  it?"  inquired  Captain  Horn.  "Can  you 
not  speak  English  ?  " 

No,  this  Parisian  magistrate  could  not  speak  Eng 
lish,  but  the  professor  explained  the  charge. 

"It  is  the  greatest  absurdity  ! "  exclaimed  the  cap 
tain.  "Ralph  told  me  that  a  man,  evidently  once  one 
of  that  band  of  outlaws  in  Peru,  had  been  arrested  for 
assaulting  Cheditafa,  and  this  charge  must  be  part  of 
his  scheme  of  vengeance  for  that  arrest.  I  could  in 
stantly  prove  everything  that  is  necessary  to  know 
about  me  if  my  banker,  Mr.  Wraxton,  were  here.  I 
have  sent  for  him,  but  he  has  not  come.  I  have  not 
a  moment  to  waste  discussing  this  matter."  The  cap- 

432 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

tain  gazed  anxiously  toward  the  door,  and  for  a  few 
moments  the  three  men  stood  in  silence. 

The  situation  was  a  peculiar  one.  The  professor 
thought  of  sending  to  the  Hotel  Grenade,  but  he  hesi 
tated.  He  said  to  himself :  "The  lady's  testimony  would 
be  of  no  avail.  If  he  is  the  man  the  bandit  says  he  is, 
of  course  she  does  not  know  it.  His  conduct  has  been 
very  strange,  and  for  a  long  time  she  certainly  knew 
very  little  about  him.  I  don't  see  how  even  his 
banker  could  become  surety  for  him  if  he  were  here, 
and  he  doesn't  seem  inclined  to  come.  Anybody  may 
have  a  bank- account." 

The  professor  stood  looking  on  the  ground.  The 
captain  looked  at  him,  and,  by  that  power  to  read  the 
thoughts  of  others  which  an  important  emergency 
often  gives  to  a  man,  he  read,  or  believed  he  did,  the 
thoughts  of  Barre.  He  did  not  blame  the  man  for 
his  doubts.  Any  one  might  have  such  doubts.  A 
stranger  coming  to  France  with  a  cargo  of  gold  must 
expect  suspicion,  and  here  was  more— a  definite 
charge. 

At  this  moment  there  came  a  message  from  the 
banking  house :  Mr.  Wraxton  had  gone  to  Brussels 
that  morning.  Fuguet  did  not  live  in  Paris,  and  the 
captain  had  never  seen  him.  There  were  clerks 
whom  he  had  met  in  Marseilles,  but,  of  course,  they 
could  only  say  that  he  was  the  man  known  as  Captain 
Horn. 

The  captain  ground  his  teeth,  and  then,  suddenly 
turning,  he  interrupted  the  conversation  between  the 
magistrate  and  Barre.  He  addressed  the  latter  and 
asked,  "Will  you  tell  me  what  this  officer  has  been 
saying  about  me?" 

433 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

"He  says,"  answered  Barre,  "that  he  believes  you 
know  nobody  in  Paris  except  the  party  at  the  Hotel 
Grenade,  and  that,  of  course,  you  may  have  deceived 
them  in  regard  to  your  identity— that  they  have  been 
here  a  long  time,  and  you  have  been  absent,  and  you 
have  not  been  referred  to  by  them,  which  seems 
strange." 

"Has  he  not  found  out  that  Wraxton  knows  me?" 

"He  says,"  answered  Barre,  "that  you  have  not 
visited  that  banking  house  since  you  came  to  Paris, 
and  that  seems  strange  also.  Every  traveller  goes  to 
his  banker  as  soon  as  he  arrives." 

"I  did  not  need  to  go  there,"  said  the  captain.  "I 
was  occupied  with  other  matters.  I  had  just  met  my 
wife  after  a  long  absence." 

"I  don't  wonder,"  said  the  professor,  bowing,  "that 
your  time  was  occupied.  It  is  very  unfortunate  that 
your  banker  cannot  come  to  you  or  send." 

The  captain  did  not  answer.  This  professor  doubted 
him,  and  why  should  he  not?  As  the  captain  con 
sidered  the  case,  it  grew  more  and  more  serious.  That 
his  marriage  should  be  delayed  on  account  of  such  a 
preposterous  and  outrageous  charge  against  him  was 
bad  enough.  It  would  be  a  terrible  blow  to  Edna. 
For,  although  he  knew  that  she  would  believe  in  him, 
she  could  not  deny,  if  she  were  questioned,  that  in 
this  age  of  mail  and  telegraph  facilities  she  had  not 
heard  from  him  for  nearly  a  year,  and  it  would  be 
hard  for  her  to  prove  that  he  had  not  deceived  her. 
But  the  most  unfortunate  thing  of  all  was  the  meeting 
with  the  London  lawyers  the  next  day.  These  men 
were  engaged  in  settling  a  very  important  question 
regarding  the  ownership  of  the  treasure  he  had  brought 

434 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

to  France,  and  his  claims  upon  it,  and  if  they  should 
hear  that  he  had  been  charged  with  being  the  captain 
of  a  band  of  murderers  and  robbers,  they  might  well 
have  their  suspicions  of  the  truth  of  his  story  of  the 
treasure.  In  fact,  everything  might  be  lost,  and  the 
affair  might  end  by  his  being  sent  a  prisoner  to  Peru, 
to  have  the  case  investigated  there.  What  might 
happen  then  was  too  terrible  to  think  of.  He  turned 
abruptly  to  the  professor. 

"I  see  that  you  don't  believe  in  me,"  he  said,  "but 
I  see  that  you  are  a  man,  and  I  believe  in  you.  You 
are  acquainted  with  this  magistrate.  Use  your  in 
fluence  with  him  to  have  this  matter  settled  quickly. 
Do  as  much  as  that  for  me." 

"What  is  it  that  you  ask  me  to  do? "  said  the  other. 

"It  is  this,"  replied  the  captain.  "I  have  never 
seen  this  man  who  says  he  was  a  member  of  the  Rack- 
birds'  band.  In  fact,  I  never  saw  any  of  those  wretches 
except  dead  ones.  He  has  never  met  me.  He  knows 
nothing  about  me.  His  charge  is  simply  a  piece  of 
revenge.  The  only  connection  he  can  make  between 
me  and  the  Kackbirds  is  that  he  knew  two  negroes 
were  once  the  servants  of  his  band,  and  that  they  are 
now  the  servants  of  my  wife.  Having  never  seen  me, 
he  cannot  know  me.  Please  ask  the  magistrate  to 
send  for  some  other  men  in  plain  clothes  to  come  into 
this  room,  and  then  let  the  prisoner  be  brought  here, 
and  asked  to  point  out  the  man  he  charges  with  the 
crime  of  being  the  captain  of  the  Kackbirds." 

The  professor's  face  brightened,  and  without  answer 
he  turned  to  the  magistrate,  and  laid  this  proposition 
before  him.  The  officer  shook  his  head.  This  would 
be  a  very  irregular  method  of  procedure.  There  were 

435 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

formalities  which  should  not  be  set  aside.  The  deposi 
tion  of  Banker  should  be  taken  before  witnesses.  But 
the  professor  was  interested  in  Captain  Horn's  pro 
posed  plan.  In  an  emergency  of  the  sort,  when  time 
was  so  valuable,  he  thought  it  should  be  tried  before 
anything  else  was  done.  He  talked  very  earnestly  to 
the  magistrate,  who  at  last  yielded. 

In  a  few  minutes  three  respectable  men  were 
brought  in  from  outside,  and  then  a  policeman  was 
sent  for  Banker. 

When  that  individual  entered  the  waiting-room,  his 
eyes  ran  rapidly  over  the  company  assembled  there. 
After  the  first  glance,  he  believed  that  he  had  never 
seen  one  of  them  before.  But  he  said  nothing ;  he 
waited  to  hear  what  would  be  said  to  him.  This  was 
said  quickly.  Banker  spoke  French,  and  the  magis 
trate  addressed  him  directly. 

"In  this  room,"  he  said,  "stands  the  man  you  have 
accused  as  a  robber  and  a  murderer,  as  the  captain  of 
the  band  to  which  you  admit  you  once  belonged. 
Point  him  out  immediately." 

Banker's  heart  was  not  in  the  habit  of  sinking,  but 
it  went  down  a  little  now.  Could  it  be  possible  that 
any  one  there  had  ever  led  him  to  deeds  of  violence 
and  blood?  He  looked  again  at  each  man  in  the 
room,  very  carefully  this  time.  Of  course,  that  rascal 
Raminez  would  not  come  to  Paris  without  disguising 
himself,  and  no  disguise  could  be  so  effectual  as  the 
garb  of  a  gentleman.  But  if  Eaminez  were  there,  he 
should  not  escape  him  by  any  such  tricks.  Banker 
half  shut  his  eyes,  and  again  went  over  every  coun 
tenance.  Suddenly  he  smiled. 

"My  captain,"  he  said  presently,  "is  not  dressed 
436 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

exactly  as  lie  was  when  I  last  saw  him.  He  is  in  good 
clothes  now,  and  that  made  it  a  little  hard  for  me  to 
recognize  him  at  first.  But  there  is  no  mistaking  his 
nose  and  his  eyebrows.  I  know  him  as  well  as  if  we 
had  been  drinking  together  last  night.  There  he 
stands  ! "  And,  with  his  right  arm  stretched  out,  he 
pointed  directly  to  Professor  Barre. 

At  these  words  there  was  a  general  start,  and  the 
face  of  the  magistrate  grew  scarlet  with  anger.  As 
for  the  professor  himself,  he  knit  his  brows,  and  looked 
at  Banker  in  amazement. 

"You  scoundrel !  You  liar  !  You  beast ! "  cried 
the  officer.  "To  accuse  this  well-known  and  honorable 
gentleman,  and  say  that  he  is  a  leader  of  a  band  of 
robbers  !  You  are  an  impostor,  a  villain,  and  if  you 
had  been  confronted  with  this  other  gentleman  alone, 
you  would  have  sworn  that  he  was  a  bandit  chief ! " 

Banker  made  no  answer,  but  still  kept  his  eyes  fixed 
upon  the  professor.  Now  Captain  Horn  spoke  :  "That 
fellow  had  to  say  something,  and  he  made  a  very  wild 
guess  of  it,"  he  said  to  Barre.  "I  think  the  matter 
may  now  be  considered  settled.  Will  you  suggest  as 
much  to  the  magistrate  ?  Truly,  I  have  not  a  moment 
to  spare." 

Banker  listened  attentively  to  these  words,  and  his 
eyes  sparkled. 

"You  needn't  try  any  of  your  tricks  on  me,  you 
scoundrel  Kaminez,"  he  said,  shaking  his  fist  at  the 
professor.  "I  know  you.  I  know  you  better  than  I 
did  when  I  first  spoke.  If  you  wanted  to  escape  me, 
you  ought  to  have  shaved  off  your  eyebrows  when  you 
trimmed  your  hair  and  your  beard.  But  I  will  be  after 
you  yet.  The  tales  you  have  told  here  won't  help  you," 

437 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

"Take  him  away  ! "  shouted  the  magistrate.  "He  is 
a  fiend ! " 

Banker  was  hurried  from  the  room  by  two  policemen. 

To  the  profuse  apologies  of  the  magistrate  Captain 
Horn  had  no  time  to  listen  ;  he  accepted  what  he  heard 
of  them  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  only  remarked  that, 
as  he  was  not  the  man  against  whom  the  charges  had 
been  brought,  he  must  hurry  away  to  attend  to  a  most 
important  appointment.  The  professor  went  with  him 
into  the  street. 

"Sir,"  said  the  captain,  addressing  Barre,  "you  have 
been  of  the  most  important  service  to  me,  and  I  heart 
ily  acknowledge  the  obligation.  Had  it  not  been  that 
you  were  good  enough  to  exert  your  influence  with 
the  magistrate,  that  rascal  would  have  sworn  through 
thick  and  thin  that  I  had  been  his  captain." 

Then,  looking  at  his  watch,  he  said,  "It  is  twenty- 
five  minutes  to  four.  I  shall  take  a  cab  and  go  directly 
to  the  legation.  I  was  on  my  way  to  my  hotel,  but 
there  is  no  time  for  that  now,"  and,  after  shaking 
hands  with  the  professor,  he  hailed  a  cab. 

Captain  Horn  reached  the  legation  but  a  little 
while  after  the  party  from  the  Hotel  Grenade  had 
arrived,  and  in  due  time  he  stood  up  beside  Edna  in 
one  of  the  parlors  of  the  mansion,  and  he  and  she  were 
united  in  marriage  by  the  American  minister.  The 
services  were  very  simple,  but  the  congratulations  of 
the  little  company  assembled  could  not  have  been 
more  earnest  and  heartfelt. 

"Now,"  said  Mrs.  Cliff,  in  the  ear  of  Edna,  "if  we 
knew  that  that  gold  was  all  to  be  sunk  in  the  ocean 
to -morrow,  we  still  ought  to  be  the  happiest  people  on 
earth." 

438 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

She  was  a  true  woman,  Mrs.  Cliff,  and  at  that  mo 
ment  she  meant  what  she  said. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  the  whole  party  should 
return  to  the  Hotel  Grenade,  and  from  there  the 
newly  married  couple  should  start  for  the  train  which 
would  take  them  to  Calais  ;  and,  as  he  left  the  lega 
tion  promptly,  the  captain  had  time  to  send  to  his  own 
hotel  for  his  effects.  The  direct  transition  from  the 
police  station  to  the  bridal  altar  had  interfered  with 
his  ante-hymeneal  preparations,  but  the  captain  was 
accustomed  to  interference  with  preparations,  and  had 
long  learned  to  dispense  with  them  when  occasion 
required. 

"I  don't  believe,"  said  the  minister's  wife  to  her 
husband,  when  the  bridal  party  had  left,  "that  you 
ever  before  married  such  a  handsome  couple." 

"The  fact  is,"  said  he,  "that  I  never  before  saw 
standing  together  such  a  fine  specimen  of  a  man  and 
such  a  beautiful,  glowing,  radiant  woman." 

"I  don't  see  why  you  need  say  that,"  said  she, 
quickly.  "You  and  I  stood  up  together." 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  with  a  smile,  "but  I  wasn't  a 
spectator." 


439 


CHAPTER   LI 

BANKER  DOES  SOME  IMPORTANT  BUSINESS 

WHEN  Banker  went  back  to  the  prison  cell,  lie  was 
still  firmly  convinced  that  he  had  been  overreached 
by  his  former  captain,  Raminez  ;  and,  although  he 
knew  it  not,  there  were  good  reasons  for  his  convic 
tions.  Often  had  he  noticed,  in  the  Kackbirds'  camp, 
a  peculiar  form  of  the  eyebrows  which  surmounted  the 
slender,  slightly  aquiline  nose  of  his  chief.  Whenever 
Eaminez  was  anxious,  or  beginning  to  be  angered,  his 
brow  would  slightly  knit,  and  the  ends  of  his  eyebrows 
would  approach  each  other,  curling  upward  and  out 
ward  as  they  did  so.  This  was  an  action  of  the  eye 
brows  which  was  peculiar  to  the  Darcias  of  Granada, 
from  which  family  the  professor's  father  had  taken  a 
wife,  and  had  brought  her  to  Paris.  A  sister  of  this 
wife  had  afterwards  married  a  Spanish  gentleman 
named  Blanquote,  whose  second  son,  having  fallen 
into  disgrace  in  Spain,  had  gone  to  America,  where  he 
changed  his  name  to  Ranrinez,  and  performed  a  num 
ber  of  discreditable  deeds,  among  which  was  the  de 
ception  of  several  of  his  discreditable  comrades  in 
regard  to  his  family.  They  could  not  help  knowing 
that  he  came  from  Spain,  and  he  made  them  all  believe 

440 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

that  his  real  name  was  Eaminez.  There  had  been 
three  of  them,  besides  Banker,  who  had  made  it  the 
object  of  their  lives  to  wait  for  the  opportunity  to 
obtain  blackmail  from  his  family,  by  threatened 
declarations  of  his  deeds. 

This  most  eminent  scoundrel,  whose  bones  now  lay 
at  the  bottom  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  had  inherited  from 
his  grandfather  that  same  trick  of  the  eyebrows  above 
his  thin  and  slightly  aquiline  nose  which  Banker  had 
observed  upon  the  countenance  of  the  professor  in  the 
police  station,  and  who  had  inherited  it  from  the  same 
Spanish  gentleman. 

The  next  day  Banker  received  a  visitor.  It  was 
Professor  Barre.  As  this  gentleman  entered  the  cell, 
followed  by  two  guards,  who  remained  near  the  door, 
Banker  looked  up  in  amazement.  He  had  expected 
a  message,  but  had  not  dreamed  that  he  should  see 
the  man  himself. 

"Captain,"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  sprang  to  his  feet, 
"this  is  truly  good  of  you.  I  see  you  are  the  same 
old  trump  as  ever,  and  do  not  bear  malice."  He 
spoke  in  Spanish,  for  such  had  been  the  language  in 
common  use  in  camp. 

The  professor  paid  no  attention  to  these  words.  "I 
came  here,"  he  said,  "to  demand  of  you  why  you 
made  that  absurd  and  malicious  charge  against  me 
the  other  day.  Such  charges  are  not  passed  over  in 
France,  but  I  will  give  you  a  chance  to  explain  your 
self." 

Banker  looked  at  him  admiringly.  "He  plays  the 
part  well,"  he  said  to  himself.  "He  is  a  great  gun. 
There  is  no  use  of  my  charging  against  him.  I  will 
not  try  it,  but  I  shall  let  him  see  where  I  stand." 

441 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

K Captain,"  said  he,  "I  have  nothing  to  explain, 
except  that  I  was  stirred  up  a  good  deal  and  lost  my 
temper.  I  oughtn't  to  have  made  that  charge  against 
you.  Of  course,  it  could  not  be  of  any  good  to  me, 
and  I  am  perfectly  ready  to  meet  you  on  level  ground. 
I  will  take  back  everything  I  have  already  said,  and, 
if  necessary,  I  will  prove  that  I  made  a  mistake  and 
never  saw  you  before,  and  I  only  ask  in  return  that 
you  get  me  out  of  this  and  give  me  enough  to  make 
me  comfortable.  That  won't  take  much,  you  know, 
and  you  seem  to  be  in  first-class  condition  these  days. 
There !  I  have  put  it  to  you  fair  and  square,  and 
saved  you  the  trouble  of  making  me  any  offers.  You 
stand  by  me,  and  I'll  stand  by  you.  I  am  ready  to 
swear  until  I  am  black  in  the  face  that  you  never 
were  in  Peru,  and  that  I  never  saw  you  until  the  other 
day,  when  I  made  that  mistake  about  you  on  account 
of  the  queer  fashion  of  your  eyebrows,  which  looked 
just  like  those  of  a  man  who  really  had  been  my  cap 
tain,  and  that  I  now  see  you  are  two  entirely  different 
men.  I  will  make  a  good  tale  of  it,  captain,  and  I 
will  stick  to  it— you  can  rely  on  that.  By  all  the 
saints,  I  hope  those  two  fellows  at  the  door  don't  un 
derstand  Spanish ! " 

The  professor  had  made  himself  sure  that  the  guards 
who  accompanied  him  spoke  nothing  but  French. 
Without  referring  to  Banker's  proposed  bargain,  he 
said  to  him,  "Was  the  captain  of  the  bandits  under 
whom  you  served  a  Spaniard  ?  " 

"Yes,  you  were  a  Spaniard,"  said  Banker. 

"From  what  part  of  Spain  did  he  come?" 

"You  let  out  several  times  that  you  once  lived  in 
Granada." 

442 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

"What  was  that  captain's  real  name?"  asked  the 
professor. 

"Your  name  was  Raminez— unless,  indeed/'  and  here 
his  face  clouded  a  little,  "unless,  indeed,  you  tricked 
us.  But  I  have  pumped  you  well  on  that  point,  and, 
drunk  or  sober,  it  was  always  Raminez." 

"Raminez,  then,  a  Spaniard  of  my  appearance,"  said 
the  professor,  "was  your  captain  when  you  were  in  a 
band  called  the  Rackbirds,  which  had  its  rendezvous 
on  the  coast  of  Peru?  " 

"Yes,  you  were  all  that,"  said  Banker. 

"Very  well,  then,"  said  Barre.  "I  have  nothing 
more  to  say  to  you  at  present,"  and  he  turned  and  left 
the  cell.  The  guards  followed,  and  the  door  was  closed. 

Banker  remained  dumb  with  amazement.  When 
he  had  regained  his  power  of  thought  and  speech,  he 
fell  into  a  state  of  savage  fury,  which  could  be  equalled 
by  nothing  living,  except,  perhaps,  by  a  trapped  wild 
cat,  and  among  his  objurgations,  as  he  strode  up  and 
down  his  cell,  the  most  prominent  referred  to  the  new 
and  incomprehensible  trick  which  this  prince  of  human 
devils  had  just  played  upon  him.  That  he  had  been 
talking  to  his  old  captain  he  did  not  doubt  for  a  mo 
ment,  and  that  that  captain  had  again  got  the  better 
of  him  he  doubted  no  less. 

It  may  be  stated  here  that,  the  evening  before,  the 
professor  had  had  a  long  talk  with  Ralph  regarding 
the  Rackbirds  and  their  camp.  Professor  Barre  had 
heard  something  of  the  matter  before,  but  many  of 
the  details  were  new  to  him. 

When  Ralph  left  him,  the  professor  gave  himself  up 
to  reflections  upon  what  he  had  heard,  and  he  gradu 
ally  came  to  believe  that  there  might  be  some  reason 

443 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN   HORN 

for  his  identification  as  the  bandit  captain  by  the  man 
Banker. 

For  five  or  six  years  there  had  been  inquiries  on  foot 
concerning  the  second  son  of  Senor  Blanquote  of 
Granada,  whose  elder  brother  had  died  without  heirs, 
and  who,  if  now  living,  would  inherit  Blanquote's 
estates.  It  was  known  that  this  man  had  led  a  wild 
and  disgraceful  career,  and  it  was  also  ascertained  that 
he  had  gone  to  America,  and  had  been  known  on  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama  and  elsewhere  by  the  name  of 
Raminez.  Furthermore,  Professor  Barre  had  been 
frequently  told  by  his  mother  that  when  he  was  a  boy 
she  had  noticed,  while  on  a  visit  to  Spain,  that  he  and 
this  cousin  very  much  resembled  each  other. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  follow  out  the  legal  steps  and 
inquiries,  based  upon  the  information  which  he  had 
had  from  Ralph  and  from  Banker,  which  were  now 
made  by  the  professor.  It  is  sufficient  to  state  that  he 
was  ultimately  able  to  prove  that  the  Rackbird  chief 
known  as  Raminez  was,  in  reality,  Tomaso  Blanquote, 
that  he  had  perished  on  the  coast  of  Peru,  and  that 
he,  the  professor,  was  legal  heir  to  the  Blanquote 
estates. 

Barre  had  not  been  able  to  lead  his  pupil  to  as  high 
a  place  in  the  temple  of  knowledge  as  he  had  hoped, 
but,  through  his  acquaintance  with  that  pupil,  he 
himself  had  become  possessed  of  a  castle  in  Spain. 


444 


CHAPTER   LII 

THE   CAPTAIN  TAKES  HIS  STAND 

IT  was  now  July,  and  the  captain  and  Edna  had  re 
turned  to  Paris.  The  world  had  been  very  beautiful 
during  their  travels  in  England,  and  although  the 
weather  was  beginning  to  be  warm,  the  world  was 
very  beautiful  in  Paris.  In  fact,  to  these  two  it  would 
have  been  beautiful  almost  anywhere.  Even  the  deso 
late  and  arid  coast  of  Peru  would  have  been  to  them 
as  though  it  were  green  with  herbage  and  bright  with 
flowers. 

The  captain's  affairs  were  not  yet  definitely  ar 
ranged,  for  the  final  settlement  would  depend  upon 
negotiations  which  would  require  time,  but  there  was 
never  in  the  world  a  man  more  thoroughly  satisfied 
than  he.  And  whatever  happened,  he  had  enough ; 
and  he  had  Edna.  His  lawyers  had  made  a  thorough 
investigation  into  the  matter  of  his  rights  to  the 
treasure  he  had  discovered  and  brought  to  Europe, 
and  they  had  come  to  a  conclusion  which  satisfied 
them.  This  decision  was  based  upon  equity  and  upon 
the  laws  and  usages  regarding  treasure-trove. 

The  old  Eoman  law  upon  the  subject,  still  adhered 
to  by  some  of  the  Latin  countries  of  Europe,  gave  half 
of  a  discovered  treasure  to  the  finder,  and  half  to  the 

445 


ADVENTURES   OF  CAPTAIN  HORN 

crown  or  state,  and  it  was  considered  that  a  good  legal 
stand  could  be  taken  in  the  present  instance  upon  the 
application  of  this  ancient  law  to  a  country  now 
governed  by  the  descendants  of  Spaniards. 

"Whether  or  not  the  present  government  of  Peru,  if 
the  matter  should  be  submitted  to  it,  would  take  this 
view  of  the  case,  was  a  subject  of  conjecture,  of  course, 
but  the  captain's  counsel  strongly  advised  him  to  take 
position  upon  the  ground  that  he  was  entitled  to  half 
the  treasure.  Under  present  circumstances,  when 
Captain  Horn  was  so  well  prepared  to  maintain  his 
rights,  it  was  thought  that  the  Peruvian  authorities 
might  easily  be  made  to  see  the  advisability  of  ac 
cepting  a  great  advantage  freely  offered,  instead  of 
endeavoring  to  obtain  a  greater  advantage,  in  re 
gard  to  which  it  would  be  very  difficult,  if  not  im 
possible,  to  legally  prove  anything  or  to  claim  any 
thing. 

Therefore,  it  was  advised  that  a  commission  should 
be  sent  to  Lima  to  open  negotiations  upon  the  subject, 
with  instructions  to  make  no  admissions  in  regard  to 
the  amount  of  the  treasure,  its  present  places  of  de 
posit,  or  other  particulars,  until  the  Peruvian  govern 
ment  should  consent  to  a  satisfactory  arrangement. 

To  this  plan  Captain  Horn  consented,  determining, 
however,  that,  if  the  negotiations  of  his  commission 
should  succeed,  he  would  stipulate  that  at  least  one 
half  the  sum  paid  to  Peru  should  be  devoted  to  the 
advantage  of  the  native  inhabitants  of  that  country, 
to  the  establishment  of  schools,  hospitals,  libraries, 
and  benefactions  of  the  kind.  If  the  commission 
should  not  succeed,  he  would  then  attend  to  the  matter 
in  his  own  way. 

446 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Thus,  no  matter  what  happened,  he  would  still 
insist  upon  his  claim  to  one  fifth  of  the  total  amount 
as  his  pay  for  the  discovery  of  the  treasure,  and  in 
this  claim  his  lawyers  assured  him  he  could  be  fully 
secured. 

Other  matters  were  in  a  fair  way  of  settlement. 
The  captain  had  made  Shirley  and  Burke  his  agents 
through  whom  he  would  distribute  to  the  heirs  of  the 
crew  of  the  Castor  their  share  of  the  treasure  which 
had  been  apportioned  to  them,  and  the  two  sailors 
had  already  gone  to  America  upon  this  mission.  How 
to  dispose  of  the  Arato  had  been  a  difficult  question, 
upon  which  the  captain  had  taken  legal  advice.  That 
she  had  started  out  from  Valparaiso  with  a  piratical 
crew,  that  those  pirates  had  made  an  attack  upon  him 
and  his  men,  and  that,  in  self-defence,  he  had  extermi 
nated  them,  made  no  difference  in  his  mind,  or  that  of 
his  counsellors,  as  to  the  right  of  the  owners  of  the 
vessel  to  the  return  of  their  property.  But  a  return 
of  the  vessel  itself  would  be  difficult  and  hazardous. 
Whoever  took  it  to  Valparaiso  would  be  subject  to 
legal  inquiry  as  to  the  fate  of  the  men  who  had  hired 
it,  and  it  would  be,  indeed,  cruel  and  unjust  to  send 
out  a  crew  in  this  vessel,  knowing  that  they  would  be 
arrested  when  they  arrived  in  port.  Consequently, 
he  determined  to  sell  the  Arato,  and  to  add  to  the 
amount  obtained  what  might  be  considered  proper  on 
account  of  her  detention,  and  to  send  this  sum  to  Val 
paraiso,  to  be  paid  to  the  owners  of  the  Arato, 

The  thoughts  of  all  our  party  were  now  turned 
toward  America.  As  time  went  on,  the  captain  and 
Edna  might  have  homes  in  different  parts  of  the  world, 
but  their  first  home  was  to  be  in  their  native  land. 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

Mrs.  Cliff  was  wild  to  reach  her  house,  that  she 
might  touch  it  with  the  magician's  wand  of  which  she 
was  now  the  possessor,  that  she  might  touch  not  only 
it,  but  that  she  might  touch  and  transform  the  whole 
of  Plainton,  and,  more  than  all,  that  with  it  she  might 
touch  and  transform  herself.  She  had  bought  all  she 
wanted.  Paris  had  yielded  to  her  everything  she 
asked  of  it,  and  no  ship  could  sail  too  fast  which  should 
carry  her  across  the  ocean. 

The  negroes  were  all  attached  to  the  captain's 
domestic  family.  Maka  and  Cheditafa  were  not  such 
proficient  attendants  as  the  captain  might  have  em 
ployed,  but  he  desired  to  have  these  two  near  him, 
and  intended  to  keep  them  there  as  long  as  they  would 
stay.  Although  Mok  and  the  three  other  Africans 
had  much  to  learn  in  regard  to  the  duties  of  domestic 
servants,  there  would  always  be  plenty  of  people  to 
teach  them. 

IN  his  prison  cell  Banker  sat,  lay  down,  or  walked 
about,  cursing  his  fate  and  wondering  what  was  meant 
by  the  last  dodge  of  that  rascal  Raminez.  He  never 
found  out  precisely,  but  he  did  find  out  that  the  visit 
of  Professor  Barre  to  his  cell  had  been  of  service  to 
him. 

That  gentleman,  when  he  became  certain  that  he 
should  so  greatly  profit  by  the  fact  that  an  ex-brigand 
had  pointed  him  out  as  an  ex-captain  of  brigands,  had 
determined  to  do  what  he  could  for  the  fellow  who 
had  unconsciously  rendered  him  the  service.  So  he 
employed  a  lawyer  to  attend  to  Banker's  case,  and  as 
it  was  not  difficult  to  prove  that  the  accused  had  not 
even  touched  Cheditafa,  but  had  only  threatened  to 

448 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

maltreat  him,  and  that  the  fight  which  caused  his 
arrest  was  really  begun  by  Mok,  it  was  not  thought 
necessary  to  inflict  a  very  heavy  punishment.  In 
fact,  it  was  suggested  in  the  court  that  it  was  Mok 
who  should  be  put  on  trial. 

So  Banker  went  for  a  short  term  to  prison,  where 
he  worked  hard  and  earned  his  living,  and  when  he 
came  out  he  thought  it  well  to  leave  Paris,  and  he 
never  found  out  the  nature  of  the  trick  which  he  sup 
posed  his  old  chief  had  played  upon  him. 

The  trial  of  Banker  delayed  the  homeward  journey 
of  Captain  Horn  and  his  party,  for  Cheditafa  and  Mok 
were  needed  as  witnesses,  but  did  not  delay  it  long. 
It  was  early  in  August,  when  the  danger  from  floating 
icebergs  had  almost  passed,  and  when  an  ocean  jour 
ney  is  generally  most  pleasant,  that  nine  happy  people 
sailed  from  Havre  for  New  York.  Captain  Horn  and 
Edna  had  not  yet  fully  planned  their  future  life,  but 
they  knew  that  they  had  enough  money  to  allow  them 
to  select  any  sphere  of  life  toward  which  ordinary 
human  ambitions  would  be  apt  to  point,  and  if  they 
never  received  another  bar  of  the  unapportioned 
treasure,  they  would  not  only  be  preeminently  satis 
fied  with  what  fortune  had  done  for  them,  but  would 
be  relieved  of  the  great  responsibilities  which  greater 
fortune  must  bring  with  it. 

As  for  Mrs.  Cliff,  her  mind  was  so  full  of  plans  for 
the  benefit  of  her  native  town  that  she  could  talk  and 
think  of  nothing  else,  and  could  scarcely  be  induced 
to  take  notice  of  a  spouting  whale,  which  was  engaging 
the  attention  of  all  the  passengers  and  the  crew. 

The  negroes  were  perfectly  content.  They  were 
accustomed  to  the  sea,  and  did  not  mind  the  motion 

449 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

of  the  vessel.  They  had  but  little  money  in  their 
pockets,  and.  had  no  reason  to  expect  they  would  ever 
have  much  more,  but  they  knew  that  as  long  as  they 
lived  they  would  have  everything  that  they  wanted, 
that  the  captain  thought  was  good  for  them,  and  to  a 
higher  earthly  paradise  their  souls  did  not  aspire. 
Cheditafa  would  serve  his  mistress,  Maka  would  serve 
the  captain,  and  Mok  would  wear  fine  clothes  and 
serve  his  young  master  Ralph,  whenever,  haply,  he 
should  have  the  chance. 

As  for  Inkspot,  he  doubted  whether  or  not  he  should 
ever  have  all  the  whiskey  he  wanted,  but  he  had 
heard  that  in  the  United  States  that  delectable  fluid 
was  very  plentiful,  and  he  thought  that  perhaps  in 
that  blessed  country  that  blessed  beverage  might  not 
produce  the  undesirable  effects  which  followed  its  un 
restricted  use  in  other  lands. 


450 


CHAPTER   Lin 

A  LITTLE   GLEAM   AFAR 

IT  was  late  in  the  autumn  of  that  year,  and  upon  a 
lonely  moor  in  Scotland,  that  a  poor  old  woman  stood 
shivering  in  the  cold  wind.  She  was  outside  of  a 
miserable  little  hut,  in  the  doorway  of  which  stood, 
two  men. 

For  five  or  six  years  she  had  lived  alone  in  that 
little  hut. 

It  was  a  very  poor  place,  but  it  kept  out  the  wind 
and  the  rain  and  the  snow,  and  it  was  a  home  to  her, 
and  for  the  greater  part  of  these  years  in  which  she 
had  lived  there  alone,  she  had  received,,  at  irregular 
and  sometimes  long  intervals,  sums  of  money,  often 
very  small  and  never  large,  from  her  son,  who  was  a 
sailorman  upon  seas  of  which  she  did  not  even  know 
the  name. 

But  for  many  months  no  money  had  come  from  this 
wandering  son,  and  it  was  very  little  that  she  had  been 
able  to  earn.  Sometimes  she  might  have  starved^  had 
it  not  been  for  the  charity  of  others  almost  as  poor  as 
she.  As  for  rent,  it  had  been  due  for  a  long  time,  and 
at  last  it  had  been  due  so  long  that  her  landlord  felt 
that  further  forbearance  would  be  not  only  unprofit 
able,  but  that  it  would  serve  as  a  bad  example  to  his 

461 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

other  tenants.  Consequently,  he  had  given  orders  to 
eject  the  old  woman  from  her  hut.  She  was  now  a 
pauper,  and  there  were  places  where  paupers  would 
be  taken  care  of. 

The  old  woman  stood  sadly  shivering.  Her  poor  old 
eyes,  a  little  dimmed  with  tears,  were  directed  south 
ward  toward  the  far-away  vanishing-point  of  the 
rough  and  narrow  road  which  meandered  over  the 
moor  and  lost  itself  among  the  hills. 

She  was  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  a  cart  which  a 
poor  neighbor  had  promised  to  borrow,  to  take  her 
and  her  few  belongings  to  the  nearest  village,  where 
there  was  a  good  road  over  which  she  might  walk  to 
a  place  where  paupers  were  taken  care  of.  A  narrow 
stream,  which  roared  and  rushed  around  or  over  many 
a  rock,  ran  at  several  points  close  to  the  road,  and, 
swelled  by  heavy  rains,  had  overflowed  it  to  the  depth 
of  a  foot  or  more.  The  old  woman  and  the  two  men 
in  the  doorway  of  the  hut  stood  and  waited  for  the 
cart  to  come. 

As  they  waited,  heavy  clouds  began  to  rise  in  the 
north,  and  there  was  already  a  drizzle  of  rain.  At 
last  they  saw  a  little  black  spot  upon  the  road,  which 
soon  proved  to  be  a  cart  drawn  by  a  rough  pony.  On 
it  came,  until  they  could  almost  hear  it  splashing 
through  the  water  where  the  stream  had  passed  its 
bounds,  or  rattling  over  the  rough  stones  in  other 
places.  But,  to  their  surprise,  there  were  two  persons 
in  the  cart.  Perhaps  the  boy  Sawney  had  with  him 
a  traveller  who  was  on  his  way  north. 

This  was  true.  Sawney  had  picked  up  a  traveller 
who  was  glad  to  find  a  conveyance  going  across  the 
moor  to  his  destination.  This  man  was  a  quick-moving 

452 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

person  in  a  heavy  waterproof  coat  with  its  collar  turned 
up  over  his  ears. 

As  soon  as  the  cart  stopped,  near  the  hut,  he  jumped 
down  and  approached  the  two  men  in  the  doorway. 

"Is  that  the  widow  McLeish  ?"  he  said,  pointing  to 
the  old  woman. 

They  assured  him  that  he  was  correct,  and  he  ap 
proached  her. 

"You  are  Mrs.  Margaret  McLeish?"  said  he. 

She  looked  at  him  in  a  vague  sort  of  way  and 
nodded.  "That's  me,"  said  she.  "Is  it  pay  for  the 
cart  you're  after  ?  If  that's  it,  I  must  walk." 

"Had  you  a  son,  Mrs.  McLeish!"  said  the  man. 

"Ay,"  said  she,  and  her  face  brightened  a  little. 

"And  what  was  his  name?" 

"Andy,"  was  the  answer. 

"And  his  calling ?" 

"A  sailorman." 

"Well,  then,"  said  the  traveller  in  the  waterproof, 
"there  is  no  doubt  that  you  are  the  person  I  came 
here  to  see.  I  was  told  I  should  find  you  here,  and 
here  you  are.  I  may  as  well  tell  you  at  once,  Mrs. 
McLeish,  that  your  son  is  dead." 

"That  is  no  news,"  she  answered.  "I  knew  that  he 
must  be  dead." 

"But  I  didn't  come  here  only  to  tell  you  that. 
There  is  money  coming  to  you  through  him— enough 
to  make  you  comfortable  for  the  rest  of  your  life." 

"Money  ! "  exclaimed  the  old  woman.     "To  me? " 

The  two  men  who  had  been  standing  in  the  door 
way  of  the  hut  drew  near,  and  Sawney  jumped  down 
from  the  cart.  The  announcement  made  by  the 
traveller  was  very  interesting. 

453 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

"Yes,"  said  the  man  in  the  waterproof,  pulling  his 
collar  up  a  little  higher,  for  the  rain  was  increasing, 
"you  are  to  have  one  hundred  and  four  pounds  a  year, 
Mrs.  McLeish,  and  that's  two  pounds  a  week,  you 
know,  and  you  will  have  it  as  long  as  you  live." 

"Two  pounds  a  week  ! "  cried  the  old  woman,  her 
eyes  shining  out  of  her  weazened  old  face  like  two 
grouse  eggs  in  a  nest.  "From  my  Andy?" 

"Yes,  from  your  son,"  said  the  traveller.  And  as  the 
rain  was  now  much  more  than  a  drizzle,  and  as  the 
wind  was  cold,  he  made  his  tale  as  short  as  possible. 

He  told  her  that  her  son  had  died  far  away  in  South 
America,  and,  from  what  he  had  gained  there,  one 
hundred  and  four  pounds  a  year  would  be  coming  to 
her,  and  that  she  might  rely  on  this  as  long  as  she 
lived.  He  did  not  state — for  he  was  not  acquainted 
with  all  the  facts— that  Shirley  and  Burke,  when  they 
were  in  San  Francisco  hunting  up  the  heirs  of  the 
Castor's  crew,  had  come  upon  traces  of  the  A.  McLeish 
whose  body  they  had  found  in  the  desert,  lying  flat  on 
its  back,  with  a  bag  of  gold  clasped  to  its  breast— that 
they  had  discovered,  by  means  of  the  agent  through 
whom  McLeish  had  been  in  the  habit  of  forwarding 
money  to  his  mother,  the  address  of  the  old  woman, 
and,  without  saying  anything  to  Captain  Horn,  they 
had  determined  to  do  something  for  her. 

The  fact  that  they  had  profited  by  the  gold  her  son 
had  carried  away  from  the  cave,  was  the  main  reason 
for  this  resolution,  and  although,  as  Shirley  said,  it 
might  appear  that  the  Scotch  sailor  was  a  thief,  it 
was  true,  after  all,  he  had  as  much  right  to  a  part  of 
the  gold  he  had  taken  as  Captain  Horn  could  have. 
Therefore,  as  they  had  possessed  themselves  of  his 
treasure,  they  thought  it  but  right  that  they  should 

454 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

provide  for  his  mother.  So  they  bought  an  annuity 
for  her  in  Edinburgh,  thinking  this  better  than  sending 
her  the  total  amount  which  they  considered  to  be  her 
share,  not  knowing  what  manner  of  woman  she  might 
be,  and  they  arranged  that  an  agent  should  be  sent  to 
look  her  up,  and  announce  to  her  her  good  fortune. 
It  had  taken  a  long  time  to  attend  to  all  these  matters, 
and  it  was  now  late  in  the  autumn. 

"You  must  not  stand  out  in  the  rain,  Mrs.  McLeish," 
said  one  of  the  men,  and  he  urged  her  to  come  back 
into  the  hut.  He  said  he  would  buikl  a  fire  for  her, 
and  she  and  the  gentleman  from  Edinburgh  could  sit 
down  and  talk  over  matters.  No  doubt  there  would 
be  some  money  in  hand,  he  said,  out  of  which  the  rent 
could  be  paid,  and,  even  if  this  should  not  be  the 
case,  he  knew  the  landlord  would  be  willing  to  wait  a 
little  under  the  circumstances. 

"Is  there  money  in  hand  for  me!"  asked  the  old 
woman. 

"Yes,"  said  the  traveller.  "The  annuity  was  to 
begin  with  October,  and  it  is  now  the  first  of  Novem 
ber,  so  there  is  eight  pounds  due  to  you." 

"Eight  pounds ! "  she  exclaimed,  after  a  moment's 
thought.  "It  must  be  more  than  that.  There's 
thirty-one  days  in  October ! " 

"That's  all  right,  Mrs.  McLeish,"  said  the  traveller. 
"I  will  pay  you  the  right  amount.  But  I  really  think 
you  had  better  come  into  your  house,  for  it  is  going 
to  be  a  bad  afternoon,  and  I  must  get  away  as  soon  as 
I  can.  I  will  go,  as  I  came,  in  the  cart,  for  you  won't 
want  it  now." 

Mrs.  McLeish  stood  up  as  straight  as  she  could,  and 
glanced  from  the  traveller  to  the  two  men  who  had 
put  her  out  of  her  home.  Then,  in  the  strongest  terms 

455 


ADVENTURES   OF   CAPTAIN  HORN 

her  native  Gaelic  would  afford,  she  addressed  these 
two  men.  She  assured  them  that,  sooner  than  enter 
that  contemptible  little  hut  again,  she  would  sleep 
out  on  the  bare  moor.  She  told  them  to  go  to  their 
master  and  tell  him  that  she  did  not  want  his  house, 
and  that  he  could  live  in  it  himself,  if  he  chose — that 
she  was  going  in  the  cart  to  Killimontrick,  and  she 
would  take  lodgings  in  the  inn  there  until  she  could 
get  a  house  fit  for  the  habitation  of  the  mother  of  a 
man  like  her  son  Andy ;  and  that  if  their  master  had 
anything  to  say  about  the  rent  that  was  due,  they 
could  tell  him  that  he  had  satisfied  himself  by  turning 
her  out  of  her  home,  and  if  he  wanted  anything  more, 
he  could  whistle  for  it,  or,  if  he  didn't  choose  to  do 
that,  he  could  send  his  factor  to  whistle  for  it  in  the 
main  street  of  Killimontrick. 

"Come,  Sawney  boy,  put  my  two  bundles  in  the 
cart,  and  then  help  me  in.  The  gentleman  will  drive, 
and  I'll  sit  on  the  seat  beside  him,  and  you  can  sit  be 
hind  in  the  straw,  and— you're  sure  it's  two  pounds  a 
week,  sir!"  she  said  to  the  traveller,  who  told  her 
that  she  was  right,  and  then  she  continued  to  Sawney, 
"I'll  make  your  mother  a  present  which  will  help  the 
poor  old  thing  through  the  winter,  and  I'm  sure  she 
needs  it." 

With  a  heavier  load  than  he  had  brought,  the 
pony's  head  was  turned  homeward,  and  the  cart  rattled 
away  over  the  rough  stones,  and  splashed  through  the 
water  on  the  roadway,  and  in  the  dark  cloud  which 
hung  over  the  highest  mountain  beyond  the  moor, 
there  came  a  little  glint  of  lighter  sky,  as  if  some 
lustre  from  the  Incas'  gold  had  penetrated  even  into 
this  gloomy  region. 

456 


A     000138331     4 


